The Channel Wire

July 15, 2008

A San Francisco city computer network administrator charged with taking over the city's computer system and blocking access to it has had an arraignment date set for Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court.

Terry Childs, 43, of Pittsburg, is charged with four felony counts of computer tampering, according to District Attorney Kamala Harris' office.

Childs, a five-year employee of the city Department of Technology, was arrested Sunday, and alleged to have taken control of the city's network, preventing access to records, including jail inmates' bookings, payroll files, confidential law enforcement documents and officials' e-mail.

Law enforcement officials alleged Childs blocked out all other administrators by changing their access codes.

Childs is accused of "tampering with the City and County of San Francisco's FiberWan network system in such a way as to deny other authorized administrators access to the network and to set up devices to gain unauthorized access to the system," according to a release from the District Attorney's office.

Childs is in custody on a $5 million bond. At a court hearing Tuesday, Mark Jacobs, a deputy public defender representing Childs, said a $5 million bond is too high for Childs and is more appropriate for violent criminals who are threats.

Erica Derryck, a spokeswoman for District Attorney's office, said Childs' actions had threatened public safety.