Iowa Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Men Hired to Test Their Security
Summary: Two Coalfire Labs penetration testers, Gary DeMercurio and Justin Wynn, were arrested on Sept. 11, 2019, while testing an Iowa county courthouse under a state contract, jailed for nearly 24 hours and held on $100,000 bail on burglary charges later downgraded to misdemeanor trespass. On Jan. 30, 2020, Iowa prosecutors dropped the charges, with Coalfire and Dallas County Attorney Charles Sinnard stating that continued prosecution would not serve the long-term interests of justice and public protection.
What you should know: Coalfire CEO Tom McAndrew noted that even with charges dropped, the arrest records remain permanently in the federal database with no known legal way to remove them - a lasting consequence for two testers who followed the contract's rules of engagement.
Read the original at Krebs on Security ↗
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