9 accused of accessing Obama’s student loan records plead not guilty in federal court in Iowa
By Michael J. Crumb, APMonday, May 24, 2010
9 in Iowa plead not guilty in Obama loan case
DAVENPORT, Iowa — Nine people charged with illegally accessing President Barack Obama’s student loan records while working for a Department of Education contractor in Iowa pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court.
The former employees of Vangent Inc. are accused of gaining access to a computer at the contractor’s office in Coralville between July 2007 and March 2009 and getting into Obama’s records while he was either a candidate for president, president-elect or president.
Authorities have not said why the nine people sought access to the records or if the information was used in any way.
Vangent Inc. spokeswoman Eileen Rivera said earlier this month that the workers were let go last June for violating the company’s security policy after it learned what had occurred. She said it didn’t appear the former workers had misused any information.
The nine charged with exceeding authorized computer access are Gary Grenell, 58; Andrew J. Lage, 54, Patrick E. Roan, 51, Sandra Teague, 54, and Mercedes Costoyas, 53, all of Iowa City; Lisa Torney, 49, of Coralville; Anna C. Rhodes, 32, of Ainsworth; Julie L. Kline, 38, of West Branch; and John P. Phommivong, 29, of North Liberty.
They were released on a promise to appear after pleading not guilty in U.S. District Court in Davenport and being scheduled for trial July 6.
If convicted, they face up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Tags: Barack Obama, Davenport, Education Costs, Iowa, North America, Personnel, United States
