Jun 19, 2008 9:37 am US/Pacific
Students Face Felony Charges For Hacking Grades
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (CBS) ―
A pair of high school students were supposed to walk across a stage for their diplomas Wednesday night. Instead, they walked into court on accusations they hacked into their school's computers to change grades, reported CBS station KCBS-TV in Los Angeles.
Tanvir Singh, 18, was released on his own recognizance after appearing before a judge in Newport Beach. Singh's arraignment was postponed until July 8. Co-defendant Omar Khan, 18, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. Khan would have also graduated Wednesday night.
Singh faces up to three years in prison if convicted of one felony count each of conspiracy, burglary, computer access and fraud, as well as attempted altering of a public record, Orange County District Attorney spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.
Khan is charged with 34 counts of altering a public record, 11 counts of stealing and secreting a public record, seven counts of computer access and fraud, six counts of burglary, four identity theft charges, three counts of altering a book of records, two counts of receiving stolen property and one count each of conspiracy and attempted altering of a public record.
Khan, who was released on $50,000 bail, faces up to 38 years and four months in prison if convicted of the felony charges, Emami said.
Between Jan. 23 and May 20, Khan is accused of breaking into locked rooms at the high school on several occasions late at night and on weekends to access school computers to change his "C," "D" or "F" grades to "A," she said.
Khan also allegedly stole personal log-in information from teachers to gain access to their computers and grades, primarily changing his own marks, but also altering the permanent transcript grades of a dozen other students, Emami said.
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