Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Accessing a Protected Computer without Authorization and Recklessly Causing Damage

NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that CARLOS DAVID IRIAS, age 47, a resident of Cutler Bay, Florida, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to a one-count bill of information charging him with intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization and recklessly causing damage resulting in loss to Company A, a company in New, Orleans, Louisiana that used to employ IRIAS, of more than $5,000 during one year, in violation of 18 U.S.C. '' 1030(a)(5)(B) and 1030(c)(4)(A). 

According to court documents, from about 2012 until August 14, 2017, IRIAS worked for Company A, which was in the business of that developing and distributing specialized urological medical devices including scopes and laser fibers.  IRIAS was responsible for designing marketing templates, coordinating sales, and developing client contacts.  IRIAS terminated his employment with Company A on August 14, 2017, after which time he was no longer authorized to access Company A’s cloud-based server, which handled marketing-related functions, including storing email contact lists and marketing templates and brochures. 

On November 2, 2018, IRIAS accessed Company A’s secured cloud-based computer system from his home in Cutler Bay, Florida without authorization and thereafter exported the contents to a server under his control.  He then deleted the information from the cloud-based system.  As a result of the unauthorized intrusion, Company A was unable to conduct marketing campaigns from about November 2018 until October 2019.  Company A was also unable to contact and communicate with their customer base for approximately two or three months, which jeopardized Company A’s reputation in the specialized field in which it operated.  As a result of such conduct, IRIAS recklessly caused damage to Company A, in the amount of approximately $14,593.

IRIAS faces a maximum term of five (5) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.  Sentencing before Judge Guidry has been scheduled for October 15, 2020, at 2:00 pm.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.