Ex-TV Newsman: I Hacked Co-Anchor's E-Mail

Fired Newscaster Admits Viewing Personal Info Of Co-Anchor Who Was Fired Over Alleged Scuffle With Cop

(AP)  A fired TV newscaster admitted Friday that he hacked into his co-anchor's e-mail accounts, pleading guilty to one count of illegally accessing a computer.

Larry Mendte admitted that he illegally viewed hundreds of Alycia Lane's e-mails from March 2006 to May 2008, at a time when leaked information about her personal life contributed to her downfall.

Mendte and Lane co-anchored evening broadcasts together for four years at KYW-TV, the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia, until Lane's arrest in December after an alleged scuffle with New York police.

Months later, Mendte was fired and charged by federal prosecutors. His attorney, Michael Schwartz, has said Mendte cooperated from the start.

Mendte faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison but is likely to get much less under federal guidelines when he is sentenced Nov. 24. Prosecutors have agreed not to recommend any sentence.

Mendte declined to comment after his plea.

Prosecutors say Mendte accessed three of Lane's e-mail accounts from home and work more than 500 times between January and May of this year alone. Lane's attorney believes he acted out of jealousy.

The allegations are the latest embarrassment for the station, which had been making gains with the Mendte-Lane duo against longtime news leader WPVI-TV, the ABC affiliate.

Mendte, 51, was fired in June after FBI agents searched his home and seized his computer.

According to the criminal information filed in July, Mendte relayed details about Lane's criminal case and other information to a Philadelphia Daily News reporter.

Lane was also fired. She is suing the station over her dismissal, which the station said was necessary because she had become the subject of several news stories.

New York prosecutors in February downgraded felony charges that Lane struck the officer. A judge pledged to drop the remaining charges in August if she is not arrested again.

Mendte, who is married to local Fox news anchor Dawn Stensland, joined the station in July 2003 after several years at the local NBC affiliate. He previously co-hosted "Access Hollywood" and worked at stations in Chicago, San Diego and New York.

[godzfan]

Mendte is a scumball that should get federal time. If I had hacked her e-mails I would be spending the next 15 years behind bars ad not at a cushy fed facility.
They say he was jealous, Not an excuse. He is a stalker and leaked private information due to his illegal activities.

[sistatee-2009]

The only people that can hack your e-mail and get away with it are the:
KBG, Massad, NSA, FBI, CIA, ATF, FAA, FDA, HUD, or anybody with a computer in Russia or Romania.

[dagrandma]

"Lane was also fired. She is suing the station over her dismissal, which the station said was necessary because she had become the subject of several news stories."

And would she have become the subject of several news stories if this sorry a**hole hadn''t hacked into her email accounts?

[antoniof123]

So now anyone can hack into your email accounts.

The old saying still holds don''t send anything through email that you don''t want the rest of the world to know.

When will people learn.

[bobnjersey]

[A fired TV newscaster admitted Friday that he hacked into his co-anchor''s e-mail accounts, pleading guilty to one count of illegally accessing a computer.]

illegally accessing a computer? what constitutes illegal access?

[arrestbush1]

He should be fined, not 5 years behind bars for reading some things. Sounds like two 4th graders fighting over the fact that one of them copied the others homework and got in trouble for it. There not about to put the kid in a cage over it so why send this guy to prison? People who goto prison should only be there because they physically harmed somebody. Any other stupid reasons beyond that is a crime against nature.

[summarex]

He should be fined, not 5 years behind bars for reading some things. Sounds like two 4th graders fighting over the fact........

This is what happens when you allow animals to enforce laws or occupy judgeships.

[lil_willie61]

Ever since deregulation our infrastructure has been faltering
Posted by nrgmizer at 01:09 PM : Aug 22, 2008
-------------------------------------------

Where do you live? It''s obvious that our telecomm infrastructure is vastly superior to what we had in 1996 (deregulation). Before you tell me I''m wrong, tell me what real-life experience YOU have in the industry.

[bookout2]

Is there any honesty or integrity within the walls
of any television studio?

[bookout2]

Walter is the only one I can think of right off the
top of my head. That guy was squeaky. And, one heck
of a journalist. He does Katie''s show opening. Katie
couldn''t shine his shoes.

[beader59]

That guy is pathetic. She should sue him to the cows come home and of course the tv network.

[wellhell3]

Whatta HOOT! Ego''s abound! ROFL!

[pat1967-2009]

SistaTee...Don''t forget China.

vechtables... I am going to sue you for damages... I think my IQ actually dropped while reading your drivel.

[georgew1956]

her looks didn''t get her that far she will
land on her feet and for him , people know
what he is so he will fall some day.

[patriot12436]

I would say his professional career is over and i see her suing the tv statioin big time for firing her without cause.

[patriot12436]

sumarex
Maybe you wouldn''t feel so good about him if he had hacked your accounts, made your personal business public, and caused you to be fired.

[chimpyout]

Lane and others should know or learn that whenever you get into a "situation" with Gotham City cops in the wee early hours, that "what happened" is whatever the cops say happened.