U.S. Coast Guard IT Contractor Admits to Stealing Personal Info From Computers

Larry Mathews, 34, of Pawcatuck, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today [Wednesday, Nov. 12] before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford.

According to Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, he admitted to stealing personal information from hundreds of computers and personal electronic devices that had been brought to him for repair.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Mathews was the proprietor of a computer repair business in Pawcatuck.

A-Team Computer Service covered all of southeastern Connecticut and southwestern Rhode Island, including East Lyme, Groton, Pawcatuck, Montville, Mystic, New London, Waterford in Connecticut and Charleston, Ashaway & Hope Valley (Hopkinton), and Westerly in Rhode Island, according to its website.

Beginning in 2008, Mathews was also employed as a civilian contract employee for the U.S. Coast Guard as a computer help desk technician. On more than 250 occasions, for his own use, Mathews copied personal information and files from computers and personal electronic devices that had been brought to him for repair. The personal information and files included account names and passwords, and sexually-explicit photographs and videos.

The investigation has revealed that Mathews shared the stolen personal information with only one other individual, who reported the criminal activity to law enforcement in 2013.

Mathews pleaded guilty to one count of computer intrusion in furtherance of a tortious invasion of privacy. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on February 4, 2015, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Chang and Carolyn Ikari.