A 32-year-old Windsor man is facing several charges after police say he hacked into a woman’s Facebook account and ‘maliciously and publicly defamed her reputation.’
A 20-year-old woman first went to Windsor police headquarters on Nov. 28. She reported her account had been hacked by an unknown user on Oct. 14, 2012.
Police say the suspect gained access to photos of the victim and posted them with sexually explicit language that indicated that the victim was employed at a local strip club and that she was a prostitute for hire.
The suspect allegedly changed permissions on the account and created several hundred friendships and new contacts. Police say he engaged in derogatory conversations with family members, friends, peers, and strangers and passed himself off as the victim, knowing the statements were false.
Police say the postings caused the victim obvious strife in her personal and professional life. Her employer released her because of the content on the Facebook page. She was reinstated after investigators spoke with her employer.
The activity on the account apparently continued until Sept. 7.
The Windsor police morality unit and computer forensic analysis unit conducted an extensive investigation and identified a person of interest.
Officers executed a search warrant on Monday in the 400 block of Bruce Avenue. The suspect was in the investigation was arrested without incident. Officers seized his computer and cell phone.
Wayne Barry, 32, was charged with the following offences;
-Obtain Identity Information with Inference a Fraudulent Offence was Intended
-Fraudulently Obtain Computer Service
-Mischief in relation to Data Tampering
-Mischief in relation to Data Obstruction
-Mischief in relation to Data Damage
-Mischief in relation to Data Access Denial
-Publishing Defamatory Libel Known To Be False
Police are reminding everyone to ensure that they "log off" social media sites whenever using a public or borrowed computer or other device.
