Woman Used Govt. Computers To Stalk Singer

(AP)  A former national laboratory worker has admitted that she used government computers to access the e-mail account of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington and hacked into a cell phone company's Web site to obtain his phone number.

Devon Townsend, 28, appeared Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Scott and pleaded guilty to charges including stalking and unlawful access to stored communications.

Townsend faces up to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for each count. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. Townsend's lawyer, Ray Twohig, did not return messages Friday.

Townsend, who worked in Sandia National Laboratories' technology and manufacturing group, used lab computers to access private information about Bennington and his wife, Talinda, from January 2006 to November 2006.

According to a plea agreement filed Friday, Townsend said she was able to access family photos, information about a new home bought by the Benningtons, the couple's travel plans, and correspondence between Warner Bros. Records and Linkin Park's business attorney — including a copy of a check made to Bennington from the record company and a copy of the band's recording contract.

Townsend also accessed the couple's cell phone accounts online and was able to download digital phone pictures and monitor voice messages.

"On at least one occasion, knowing that Chester Bennington was in Arizona, I traveled to Arizona solely for the purpose of trying to see him," Townsend said in the plea agreement. "While I was there, I monitored Chester Bennington's voice mails as a means of trying to locate where he might be eating dinner or lunch."

Investigators said Townsend also hacked into the e-mail of Bennington's wife and at one point called the former Playboy model and threatened her.

Court documents also said investigators searched Townsend's home in Albuquerque and found Linkin Park posters, autographed band memorabilia, pictures of Townsend with Chester Bennington, bootlegged Linkin Park music, and copies of messages and photographs intercepted from the Bennington family's e-mail accounts.

[rushlimpdrug]

All that and note even an autograph.
- life is just not fair.
In protest, I'm burning all my cd's of this group!
Oh wait, I'll have to go out and buy some to burn'em.
Now what was the name of the group again?
I'll be leaving now.
1-tank of gas
got my sunglasses on
and I'm on a mission from God.

[toolmangler-2009]

Lucky she was just a crazed fan with a crush on a rock star and not someone with more sinister intentions.
Posted by enrapturelj at 10:53 AM : Jun 30, 2007


If an amateur can do this, just think what HLS is doing right now. Scary aint it, oops, isn't it, ooops again, is it not?

[hypnotoad72]

Why would the government spy on us? More interestingly, since everyone has said it's a 'miracle' the US hasn't had a major terrorist incident since 9/11. Some inference...

Just like saying how globalization hurts people (it won't once the US economy is equal to the Indian economy, where $10/hr makes a middle class and doesn't break it).

Or any other inference, pro or con, you can fathom.

As with all things in this world, it's a wait and see situation.

Though don't stop living during the interim. We need more babies born out of wedlock too, don'cha'know... especially those made by honkies. :D

[canaima]

snidegrass, you need to keep off the cheap booze & stay offline when you're drunk. Or cut back the "magic mushrooms".

[Geneius]

snidegrass:

What?

[gmond]

LOL - blurbs for career opportunities at sandia.gov:
"Work with extraordinary people doing extraordinary things!"
"Work you do at Sandia can affect the nation!"

[enrapturelj]

Lucky she was just a crazed fan with a crush on a rock star and not someone with more sinister intentions.

[toldyouso21]

She was just one person with a mission and access, she should claim she was monitoring him for possible terrorist connections. Ok so now...that was just one....imagine what happens if someone in the government, not wrapped to tight, whose names start with George, cheney or Gonzales--and they decide that since they have the right to spy--they'll just do it to political opponents and just claim it was for national security reasons. No one has a halo--and we never can tell a person's present and/or future agenda -------- so just like illegal wars...this is why those pandora's boxes are best left closed.

[thismachine]

but, the white house has told us that if we give the goverment unfettered access to spy on our e-mails, homes, and phone conversations that no one in a position to abuse the right ever would???!? will wonders never cease....