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Local News

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Indictment accuses city man of hacking school computer
By JORDAN CRAVENS

staff writer

A Findlay man was indicted Tuesday by a Hancock County grand jury for allegedly hacking into the computer system at Vanlue School in January.

Andrew J. Patterson, 23, was charged with disrupting public services, a fourth-degree felony.

Patterson, who was not an employee of the school, hacked into the system between Jan. 4 and Jan. 12 after he had provided computer technician service to the school, according to Hancock County Prosecutor Mark Miller.

"From a remote access he was able to infiltrate the school's computers" and impacted the school's ability to educate students, Miller said.

Patterson was one of 13 people indicted by the grand jury Tuesday.

Three out-of-state residents were indicted for being in possession of bulk amounts of Oxycontin.

Anton T. Blevins, 19, of Sterling Heights, Mich., and Joe-Von M. Cole, 19, of Southfield, Mich., were each charged with two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, one a third-degree felony and the other a second-degree felony.

On March 7, the two were allegedly in possession of less than five times the bulk amount of the drug in Liberty Township. On the same day, they are also accused of being in possession of between five and 50 times the bulk amount, according to the indictments.

Melissa McFeeley, 22, of Huntington, W.Va., was charged with aggravated possession of drugs, a second-degree felony. She was allegedly in possession of between five and 50 times the bulk amount of Oxycontin on March 3 in Liberty Township.

A Findlay man, who allegedly led city police on a chase while driving a stolen car on Saturday, was also indicted.

Manuel G. Gonzalez, 26, was charged with failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony, and receiving stolen property, specifically a 2001 Chevrolet Impala, which is a fourth-degree felony.

The chase lasted about 10 minutes and traveled through "numerous primary and residential streets at speeds reaching 70 mph," according to police.

A Fostoria man was indicted for allegedly cutting a phone line during a 911 call.

Stephen J. Finsel, 52, was charged with disrupting public services, a fourth-degree felony. Finsel cut the phone line during a domestic incident in Fostoria, but officers were able to trace the call to the residence and helped the woman caller, Miller said.

In addition to a felony charge in Hancock County, Finsel faces a domestic violence charge in Fostoria Municipal Court, Miller said.

Seven others were indicted by the grand jury Tuesday:

• Audrey L. Oswald, 26, of Bowling Green, for grand theft, a fourth-degree felony. While employed at Jerry's Drive Thru in Findlay, Oswald is accused of stealing more than $5,000 during July and August of last year, according to Miller.

• Lakeisha L. Berry, 27, of Detroit, Mich., for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony. Berry was allegedly in possession of less than five grams of cocaine in Findlay on Feb. 25.

• Elizabeth S. Paris, 29, of Findlay, for forgery, a fifth-degree felony. Paris is accused of writing a fraudulent $250 check on the account of another person, in Findlay on Jan. 5.

• Robert E. Todd, 34, of Findlay, on a fourth-degree felony charge of domestic violence for allegedly causing harm to a woman on March 2 in Findlay. His indictment said he was previously convicted of domestic violence in Findlay Municipal Court in 2009.

• William T. Layne, 40, of Lancaster, Ohio, for possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony. Layne was allegedly in possession of less than five grams of the drug in Findlay on March 1.

• James C. Fletcher, 27, of Findlay, for misuse of credit cards, a fifth-degree felony. He is accused of fraudulently using another person's credit card between Jan. 28 and Jan. 31, racking up a bill of between $500 and $5,000, according to the indictment.

• Jeffrey D. Stallings, 33, of Battle Creek, Mich., for receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony. He allegedly retained a stolen 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier in Eagle Township on March 6.

Cravens: 419-427-8422,

Send an e-mail to Jordan Cravens


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4 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
Concerned wrote:
Questioining What Happenned Here
“ Knowing Andrew, there had to be a contract with the school. If he provided computer technician service to the school, wouldn't this mean he was authorized to have access to the network anyways? How does this constitute "alleged hacking?" If he disrupted true public services, was no one able to call 911, seeing as the use of phones is a public service? And isn't there a lot of remote access done in today's connected world anyways? Were the teachers not able to use the chalkboards, whiteboards, and textbooks to educate students, or were these hacked as well? Or perhaps someone is just trying to pull out an incomplete point without having both sides of the story? Sounds a little strange to me... ”
Thursday, March 11, 2010 9:54:55 PM
Adam wrote:
Andrew's a good guy
“ I doubt he did anything wrong...we'll have to see more details as the other posters said. ”
Thursday, March 11, 2010 6:17:16 PM
Napo wrote:
Waiting....
“ I am waiting to hear the rest of the story dealing with the computer. It seems there is probably some important information that needs to be given. ”
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 6:32:28 PM
bob the builder wrote:
indictiment accusese city man of computer hacking.
“ and what about the rest of the story? ”
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 10:48:21 AM
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After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

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Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

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There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

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