Gerard “Jerry” M. McTear III, a 29-year-old from Ft. Myers, FL, faces severe charges after he was arrested for an alleged cyber attack on a San Diego software company’s website.
The defendant is accused of shutting down the company’s site and demanding ransom in exchange for bringing it back online. The attack cost the company over $5,000 in lost business as they scrambled to regain access to their digital platform.
McTear was taken into custody in Ft. Myers this morning and charged with threatening to damage and intentionally damaging computers, as well as fraud in connection with computers. He is set to appear in court today for arraignment in the United States District Court for the Fort Myers Division.
Acting U.S. Attorney Alana W. Robinson emphasized the impact of such sabotage on businesses, stating that the Justice Department is committed to pursuing all types of criminals, even those operating in cyberspace.
Eric S. Birnbaum, Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office, highlighted the trend of traditional crimes migrating to the cyber realm and encouraged businesses to avoid paying ransom demands to prevent further targeting.
The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the first count of fraud in connection with computers. Additional penalties of up to five years in prison and another $250,000 fine apply for each of the two remaining counts. The investigation is ongoing, with agencies including the FBI’s San Diego Division, Tampa Division, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Myers Police Department, and Cape Coral Police Department involved.
Gerard “Jerry” M. McTear III, Case Number: 17-CR-0501-JAH
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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