IT Specialist Faces Felony Charges After Hacking into Wife's Emails
Lessons on Leery Looking from Leon Walker
If you're really wondering what the possible lowdown might be on marital cyber-spying, take a look at the lot of Michigan's Leon Walker.
Leon Walker (33), an information technology specialist from Rochester Hills, Michigan (near Pontiac), is looking at possible jail time after looking at his wife's private emails without her permission.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Clara Walker, the wife in question, is now Leon Walker's ex-wife.
Precisely what is Leon Walker accused of doing with his wife's private emails?
In May 2009, Leon Walker apparently hacked into his wife's Gmail account, using their shared computer, to read her private messages. The Oakland County information technologist has said that he suspected her of having an extramarital affair with one of her previous husbands. (Leon Walker was Clara Walker's third husband.)
According to emails he uncovered, as well as telephone records, Leon Walker found his spousal suspicions to be founded. Although Clara Walker had accused her second husband of physical abuse, she seemed to be having a clandestine romance with him. In fact, the illicit relationship was not so secret at all, as Leon Walker's wife was apparently taking their toddler daughter and her nine-year-old son (from her first marriage) along for visits with her second husband.
His wife filed for divorce a month later, after Leon Walker shared the revealing emails with her first husband. She also filed a complaint against her husband with the Oakland County Sheriff's department. By February 2010, Leon Walker was under arrest for oogling his wife's Google messages.
Leon Walker has confessed to viewing his wife's private emails, although he has pointed out that she left handwritten password lists around their home. Still, he faces criminal prosecution for his confidential computer crimes, based on charges filed by Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Sydney Turner. Leon Walker was suspended from his Oakland County job and faces a possible prison sentence of up to five years and potential fines totaling up to $10,000 for felony computer trespasses.
Prosecutors cited Michigan statute 752.795, which includes fraudulent access to computers, computer systems and computer networks. Leon Walker's defense lawyers contend that his use of the couple's shared laptop computer to access Gmail is not covered by the cited Michigan statute, which usually pertains to identity theft, insider training and violations of intellectual property.
Leon Walker's felony trial is slated for February 7, 2011 in Oakland County, Michigan. Clara Walker and Leon Walker were officially divorced in December 2010.
What a tangled web.
What is the moral of this story? Maybe there isn't one. Certainly there is no moral high ground in this tale of trysts and technological trespasses.
Which is worse, unproven finger-pointing or unwelcome mouse-clicking? What is the most heinous wrong, adultery or spousal spying?
No matter how the Michigan court rules, for or against the email prying husband Leon Walker, what spouse will not think twice now before opening his or her counterpart's private email messages without express permission?
Published by Linda Ann Nickerson - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle and Sports
Linda Ann Nickerson brings decades of reporting and a globally minded Midwestern perspective to a host of topics, balancing human interest with history, hard facts and often humor. View profile
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- Clara Walker, the wife in question, is now Leon Walker's ex-wife.
7 Comments
Post a CommentKind of funny!
Egads!
Hm, that is a conundrum of morality and legality. Technically, if it's a password protected account with only her name, he should not have the right to enter it. Just as if she bought a car in her name only and he decided to take it out of spite, he'd be arrested for stealing. The lines of privacy are blurred when it comes to marriage. Most couples feel that they are equally entitled to reading each other's mail, and therefore probably feel the same applies to email. Personally, I don't feel that way. I'm not cheating on my SO or anything, but I really don't want him snooping in my stuff either. It can lead to false accusations and conclusions.
Interesting turn of events to say the least. I know someone who tracked his wife's affair through her text messages. I wonder if that is illegal too? It would seem that once you put it out there you should have no expectation of privacy and should accept the consequences that might come out of it. But obviously I know nothing about law.
Two wrongs don't make a right!
i'd go in, use her acct to fwd emails to me, say she inadvertently sent them to me
The wife was in the wrong for cheating, he should have hired an investigator to follow her around instead of spying on her. Would have cost him a lot less in the end.