LAWFUEL – Law News Network – R Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, announced that a Ft. Lauderdale grand jury returned an Indictment against defendant, Joseph Harlen Shook, on charges of intentionally causing damage to the computer system of Muvico Entertainment, LLC (“Muvico”), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1030(a)(5)(A)(I), (c)(4)(A), and (e)(2)(B). Shook made his initial appearance in federal court this morning in Fort Pierce, and was released on bond.
Muvico is a Florida corporation with headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and is in the business of running multiplex movie theaters in Florida. According to the Indictment, defendant Shook was Muvico’s Director of Information of Technology until February 17, 2006. In this position, Shook designed the security system to protect Muvico’s computers from network attacks.
According to the Indictment, on May 5, 2006, during the premiere of Mission Impossible III, Muvico suffered a computer attack on the computer ticket sales systems used at six of its locations, including its theaters in Boca Raton, Davie, West Palm Beach, Tampa, and St. Petersburg, Florida, and in Hanover, Maryland. As a result of the computer attack, Muvico was unable to sell tickets on-line or to those using credit cards, and lost approximately $100,000.00 in sales revenue. Shook, who had been terminated from his employment about three months before the computer attack, was found in possession of the wireless adapter bearing the same unique identification number of the wireless adapter used to commit the computer intrusion.
The charges in the indictment carry a maximum statutory term of imprisonment of ten (10) years and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000.00.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Robin S. Rosenbaum.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov/ .
