Computer Whiz Denies Hacking Charge

Friday, January 12th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) â€” A 21-year-old computer whiz on Thursday denied he hacked into six company Web sites before he was hired last year at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Jerome Heckenkamp was ordered to appear in two California courts later this month to face computer-tampering charges. He said he is innocent.

``They're just using me as a scapegoat,'' Heckenkamp told reporters.

He is accused of targeting eBay Inc., E-Trade Group, Lycos, Exodus Communications Inc., Juniper Networks Inc. and Cygnus Support Solutions in 1999. The indictment said four companies lost at least $20,000 but it provided no details.

Heckenkamp, who began working at Los Alamos last June, said an unknown person broke into the companies' computers by working through his computer while he was a student at the University of Wisconsin.

``My computer was used for breaking into computers in California,'' Heckenkamp said. He later added: ``There's nothing associated with my name in any of those computer files.''

The 15 hacking and electronic interception counts carry up to five years' imprisonment per count, and the witness-tampering count can carry a maximum 10-year term. Each count also carries a potential $250,000 fine. The witness-tampering count alleges Heckenkamp tried to get a witness to withhold evidence in testifying.

Los Alamos officials have not commented publicly, but a lab official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said Heckenkamp had no access to sensitive or privileged information. He was a probationary employee who worked in the lab's computing and network areas, the lab official said.

The FBI learned of the alleged violations during a background check.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) â€” A 21-year-old computer whiz on Thursday denied he hacked into six company Web sites before he was hired last year at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Jerome Heckenkamp was ordered to appear in two California courts later this month to face computer-tampering charges. He said he is innocent.

``They're just using me as a scapegoat,'' Heckenkamp told reporters.

He is accused of targeting eBay Inc., E-Trade Group, Lycos, Exodus Communications Inc., Juniper Networks Inc. and Cygnus Support Solutions in 1999. The indictment said four companies lost at least $20,000 but it provided no details.

Heckenkamp, who began working at Los Alamos last June, said an unknown person broke into the companies' computers by working through his computer while he was a student at the University of Wisconsin.

``My computer was used for breaking into computers in California,'' Heckenkamp said. He later added: ``There's nothing associated with my name in any of those computer files.''

The 15 hacking and electronic interception counts carry up to five years' imprisonment per count, and the witness-tampering count can carry a maximum 10-year term. Each count also carries a potential $250,000 fine. The witness-tampering count alleges Heckenkamp tried to get a witness to withhold evidence in testifying.

Los Alamos officials have not commented publicly, but a lab official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said Heckenkamp had no access to sensitive or privileged information. He was a probationary employee who worked in the lab's computing and network areas, the lab official said.

The FBI learned of the alleged violations during a background check.