Teen Faces Up to 38 Years in Jail for Hacking School Computer
Note to our younger readers: Installing spyware on school computers and hacking your way into the system to change your grade is a terrible idea. A pair of teens in Orange County, California are accused of exactly that and now one of them faces a maximum prison sentence of 38 years in jail on multiple counts of second degree burglary, identity theft, computer access and fraud, removing and secreting a public record, and altering and falsifying a public record.
Omar Khan, 18, faces these most severe charges, while his accomplice, Tanvir Singh (also 18) faces lesser charges of conspiracy, burglary, computer fraud and altering a public record and faces a maximum sentence of three years in jail.
Kahn and Singh are accused of breaking into their school to steal tests and alter records, as well as hacking the schools network to change not only their grades, but the grades of 12 other students in the schools computer system. Why is Khan in so much more trouble than his pal Singh? Namely, it's the the identity theft and computer fraud charges, both heavy-duty felonies.
Okay, so you've got some brains, guys, but next time, try cracking open a book! [Source: Channel Web]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jonathan @ Jun 21st 2008 11:48AM
holy gods... glad i didn't get that, when i got the report card files back in grade 8.. jeez
campgal @ Jun 21st 2008 12:29PM
I DO NOT SEE A NEED FOR 38 YEARS LOCKUP,
19 YEARS IS ENOUGH.
Tim @ Jun 22nd 2008 1:04PM
38 years is not long enough. A life sentence may deter some other ******* from doing the same thing. Make an example out of him.
Irish @ Jun 21st 2008 1:14PM
This is a teenager's prank and most likely a "dare" he met. How the law would put away teenagers for a prank like this and let pedofiles out in less than five years, murderers out in less than 10 to 15 years, but think of giving a computer geek 38 years for manipulating high school grades is beyond me. Our judicial system is completely broken.
Lililoo @ Jun 21st 2008 3:03PM
I thought this article was going to be about someone who hacked up someone with a hacksaw or something....but seriously, stealing GRADES? A more proper punishment would be to make him sit through senior year again (that is, if he ever even got that far),, and take away his online service for about five years. THAT would teach him a lesson. Take the computer away from the hacker, problem solved. Hacker is miserable AND can't get into cybertrouble.
John @ Jun 21st 2008 3:32PM
Convicted killers don't get that kind of time. Goes to show what part of the system is the most touchy, definetly not bodies.
dwr50 @ Jun 21st 2008 3:35PM
They should at least keep him long enough to pass his G.E.D.
KilgoreTrout @ Jun 21st 2008 9:05PM
In the article you asked the right question:
"Why is Khan so much in trouble than his pal Singh You ask?"
But then you gave the wrong answer:
I bet that the right answer is:
"Singh is the one who squealed".
ouminan @ Jun 21st 2008 9:53PM
Please folks... no need to get up in a tizzy about the "judicial system being broken". So they got a MAXIMUM sentence of 38 and 3 years for Omar and Tanvir respectively. That's not the actual time they have to serve so it's not necessary to point out that "murderers and rapists and pedophiles get out in X years, OMG".
Paulmichael @ Jun 22nd 2008 12:48AM
I doubt he gets the maximum sentence, perhaps a repeat of a year or something, community service, obviously being banned from using the computer for a good number of years...
Grant06 @ Jun 22nd 2008 3:20AM
Am I the only one to read the article? They've been CHARGED, not tried, not convicted. Cops and Prosecutors are notorious for adding a bunch of charges to an interesting story. It appears they're hoping to get some press out of it. Guess it worked.
I'm just curious as to how old these master criminals were when they committed this atrocity. If they were minors, they probably will get a very small sentence or probation.
SimbaDogg @ Jun 22nd 2008 7:03AM
jesus...ferris bueller should come and protest for these guys, this is a travishamockery
hangemhigh @ Jun 22nd 2008 10:18AM
Our wonderful immigrants hard at work. DEPORT THEM!
avocatecs @ Jun 22nd 2008 12:20PM
The FBI and CIA should recruit them.
Seanross @ Jul 1st 2008 10:36PM
Whatever happened to sleeping with the teacher?
The wanderer @ Jul 2nd 2008 10:11AM
way too severe. Ruin their lives? Its not like they killed somebody. They might die in prison because they hacked their final grade? Come on, lets get real here. Community service seems to be in oreder not jail time. Especially 38 years