FDLE Raids Home Of Data Scientist Who Built FL’s Coronavirus Site

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents raided the home of Rebekah Jones, a former Florida Department of Health data scientist who built the state’s coronavirus dashboard, Monday morning. In a tweet, she said they came to her house at 8:30 a.m., pointed guns at her and her kids, and “took all (her) hardware and tech.”

She was fired from the DOH in May for what Gov. Ron DeSantis described as “insubordination.” Jones, considered a whistleblower by many, said she was fired for not manipulating data to support the state’s reopening. She went on to create her own dashboard, Florida COVID Action.

According to her tweets Monday morning, FDLE agents served a warrant on her computer after the DOH filed a complaint. She also recorded the raid and shared the video on Twitter.

“They took my phone and the computer I use every day to post the case numbers in Florida, and school cases for the entire country,” Jones tweeted. “They took evidence of corruption at the state level. They claimed it was about a security breach. This was DeSantis. He sent the gestapo.”

She added, “If DeSantis thought pointing a gun in my face was a good way to get me to shut up, he’s about to learn just how wrong he was. I’ll have a new computer tomorrow. And then I’m going to get back to work.”

In a statement, FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said, “Our investigation began last month following a complaint by Florida Department of Health that a person illegally hacked into their emergency alert system. As part of our investigation, FDLE agents served a search warrant this morning at the Centerville Court residence where Ms. Jones lives after determining the home was the location that the unauthorized message was sent from."

Swearingen said that after agents knocked on her door to announce their search warrant, Jones refused to let them in for 20 minutes and hung up on agents.

Once allowed inside, agents followed "normal protocols," seizing several devices, he said. "At no time were weapons pointed at anyone in the home. Any evidence will be referred to the State Attorney for prosecution as appropriate.”

Jones has launched a GoFundMe to pay for "a new computer and a hell of a good lawyer," according to the fundraiser's description. She's hoping to raise $150,000 to establish a legal fund. As of Tuesday morning, more than 2,400 people have donated nearly $86,000.