Stalking Linkin Park
Until late 2006, Devon Townsend worked as a computer tech in a classified area of Sandia National Laboratories, a nuclear weapons research facility located at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. Townsend had a Q-level security clearance in the technology and manufacturing group that allowed her access to nuclear material. It's unlikely that any other holder of a Q-level security clearance at Sandia could match Townsend's enthusiasm for the rock group Linkin Park, and in particular for the band's lead singer, Chester Bennington.
We can assume this with a high degree of confidence because, according to a Defense Department criminal investigator's affidavit (excerpted below and on the following nine pages), Townsend regularly used her computer server, located in "a secure area … requiring a coded passcard" (Page 5), to read Bennington's e-mails and to listen to his voice mails by hacking into PayPal, AOL, Yahoo!, and Bennington's cell-phone billing records. (The entire affidavit can be read here.) Townsend also phoned and e-mailed the singer and his wife repeatedly (Page 9). On one occasion Townsend changed the Bennington family's Verizon account password to "Who is doing this to you?" (Page 4)
When a private investigator hired by the Benningtons finally caught Townsend in November 2006, her computer desktop at Sandia contained photographs of the rocker's children and hundreds of bootleg Linkin Park audio and video files (Page 8). According to an article by David Kushner in the June issue of Wired, Townsend said she cyber-stalked the singer and his family because she was bored: "Her job at Sandia took about half an hour a day, and she was looking to pass the time." Since the end of the Cold War, the national labs have been groping to establish a post-nuclear role for themselves. The novel direction that Townsend explored for Sandia must be judged, in the final analysis, a false start. Townsend's felony plea hearing is scheduled for June 29 (Page 11).
Got a Hot Document? Send it to . Please indicate whether you wish to remain anonymous.
feedback | about us | help | advertise | newsletters | mobile
User Agreement and Privacy Policy | All rights reserved
hot document
columns
- Watching the Detective
How Sarah Palin dug up dirt on her ex-brother-in-law.
Bonnie Goldstein
posted Oct. 10, 2008 - Sarah Palin's Tax Return
The vice-presidential nominee and the first dude won't be subsidizing this election.
Bonnie Goldstein
posted Oct. 6, 2008 - Jesse Jackson vs. Wall Street Bailout
The civil rights leader invites you to picket the Treasury Department.
Bonnie Goldstein
posted Sept. 24, 2008 - Too Sexy for My Sandbox
The Campaign for a Commerical-Free Childhood wins a victory against Bratz.
Bonnie Goldstein
posted Sept. 22, 2008 - Todd to Juneau: Drop Dead
Sarah Palin's First Dude refuses a subpoena from Alaska's State Senate.
Bonnie Goldstein
posted Sept. 19, 2008 - Search for more hot document articles
- Subscribe to the hot document RSS feed
- View our complete hot document archive
- Today's Headlines
- Historical Archives: To Be Sold - Rather Large Buttons
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0400 - Historical Archives: Ship's Log
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0400 - Historical Archives: Secret Society Of Free-Bakers Has Fail'd To Gain Influence
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:00 -0400 - » More from the Onion
Over the LineHarold Ford Jr. | I know what it's like to be smeared by your opponent.
: The Positive in Negative Ads
- Robinson: A Little Worried About the Meltdown
- Khaled Hosseini: Sen. McCain, Am I a Pariah?
- Ombudsman: A Puff Piece About the Obamas?
- King: The Anatomy of an Assault
- Today's Headlines
- Can Pakistan Stay Afloat?
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:20:52 GMT - Florida: Will Palin Cost the GOP Jewish Voters?
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:07:56 GMT - Review: le Carre Novel Is Missing the Old Sparkle
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:41:29 GMT - » More from Newsweek
- Today's Headlines
- An Obama-Palin Ticket
Thu, 9 October 2008 18:16:56 GMT - Love the Player, Hate the GM
Thu, 9 October 2008 21:10:07 GMT - Schooling McCain on the Man Code
Thu, 9 October 2008 20:03:04 GMT - » More from The Root

hot document










