San Francisco System Admin Pleads Not Guilty

The San Francisco city computer network administrator who allegedly took over the city's FiberWAN network pleaded not guilty Thursday. Terry Childs, 43, of Pittsburg is charged with four counts of felony computer tampering.

Childs entered his not guilty plea in San Francisco Superior Court, said Connie Chen, a spokeswoman for the office of San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris. Childs remains in custody on $5 million bail. A bail hearing is scheduled for July 23.

Childs was initially represented by court-appointed public defender Mark Jacobs. But after a hearing earlier this week, Jacobs removed himself from the case, citing a conflict of interest because he is a county employee whose payroll records are part of the same network with which Childs is charged with tampering.

Erin Crane, another court appointed public defender, took Jacobs' place, according DA Harris' office.

Crane also contests bail being set at such a high number, calling it "ridiculously high." Law enforcement officials have said Childs' action had threatened public safety.

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.