MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Chief Brian C. Spring of the Pequannock Township Police Department announce the entry of a guilty plea by Sergiu Jitcu, 39, Saddle Brook, on Computer Criminal Theft charges.
On or about November 8, 2017, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted by Chilton Medical Center Director of Security who reported a theft of computer equipment from the facility by the defendant, now a former IT employee at Chilton Medical Center.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division was advised that Chilton Medical Center received information from a resident of Wisconsin that he had purchased a computer hard drive on eBay from the defendant and this computer hard drive contained personal identifying information of individual(s) who may have been treated at Chilton Medical Center.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division commenced an investigation into the allegation and, ultimately, executed a Search Warrant on the defendant’s residence and motor vehicles resulting in the seizure of various computer equipment and additional items belonging to Chilton Medical Center.
Subsequent investigation has revealed that at least one computer storage medium, which was sold on eBay by the defendant, contained data/data bases with personal identifying information of patient(s) of Chilton Medical Center.
On or about December 15, 2017, Chilton Medical Center sent notifications to patients, identified as potentially being affected by the theft, who had been treated at Chilton Medical Center advising of the incident.
The defendant has pled guilty to the following offenses based on the defendant’s criminal activity on various dates between January 1, 2015 and November 8, 2017.
- One count of Computer Criminal Activity, i.e. computer theft by accessing data, data base, computer storage medium or computer equipment without authorization or in excess of the authorization, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25a, a crime of the Third degree;
- One count of Theft, i.e. the taking of computer equipment from Chilton Medical Center, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, a crime of the Third degree.
Sentencing of the defendant is scheduled to take place on Friday, October 26, before the Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.S.C. in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Morris Vicinage.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division, Financial Crimes Unit, Pequannock Township Police Department, Saddle Brook Police Department and Chilton Medical Center whose efforts contributed to the investigation and prosecution of this case.
