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Immigrant who took VA laptop illegally enters US

Sept. 2, 2009, 2:21PM


LAREDO, Texas — A Salvadoran man who was previously convicted of stealing a laptop containing the identities of nearly 20 million veterans was sentenced Wednesday to nearly four years in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States.

Jesus Alexi Pineda, 22, was deported in 2007 after serving time on a burglary conviction in Rockville, Md. During the burglary, he and two other then-teenagers broke into the home of a Veterans Affairs employee and stole a laptop and external hard drive that contained the names, Social Security numbers and birth dates of 19.6 million veterans and active-duty military personnel.

The equipment contained information on veterans discharged since 1975 and was considered the worst-ever breach of government data at the time.

The equipment was recovered and the encrypted data never used after someone turned in the laptop for a $50,000 reward.

Authorities said the men didn't target the VA employees' home and didn't know what was on the hard drive until the case was publicized.

Pineda was caught in April by Border Patrol agents while walking on a ranch north of Laredo. He pleaded guilty in June to illegal entry and was sentenced Wednesday to three years and 10 months in federal prison, said Angela Dodge, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.



http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6599276.html