Woodland Computer Thefts

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Lake County State's Attorneys Office


OFFICE OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
ERIC F. RINEHART
STATE'S ATTORNEY

May 20, 2021

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Newton
(224) 374-2376
jnewton@lakecountyil.gov

 

 


Woodland School District Employee Charged With Stealing Computers, Selling Them Online


(Lake County, IL) - A technology employee at Gurnee-based Woodland School District 50 has been charged with theft of government property after allegedly stealing computers and equipment worth thousands of dollars from the district and selling it online.

Lindenhurst resident David J. May, 53, was arrested Thursday, and a search warrant was executed at his home by the Gurnee Police Department and Lake County State’s Attorney’s officials, who brought the office’s electronic search dog, Browser, to assist.

May was charged with theft of government property, a Class 1 felony, electronic fencing and online sale of stolen property, Class 2 felonies, and computer fraud, a Class 3 felony. He is alleged in the charges to have stolen between $10,000 and $100,000 of equipment from the school district.

“This crime is particularly serious in light of tightening government resources during the pandemic,” States Attorney Eric Rinehart said. “I’m proud of our office's work in this case.”

Theft of government property, the most serious charge, carries a potential prison sentence of between 4 and 15 years.

The school district said Friday that May has been placed on administrative leave.

Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Berrill said one of the reasons the alleged scheme came to light was that people who bought the computers reported to authorities that the laptops displayed information that they were the property of Woodland School District 50.

An employee of the district’s Technology Department also reported to the school’s resource officer, a member of the Gurnee Police Department, that it appeared equipment was missing and was being sold online.

The serial numbers of the laptops sold online were also found to match those belonging to the school district. Investigators were able to track the sales back to May through computer addresses used during the sales.

May admitted taking the computers after the search warrant was executed, prosecutors said.
May posted 10% of his bail, which was set at $5,000, and was freed with a preliminary court date scheduled for June 7.

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Lake County State's Attorney's Office
18 N. County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085  
Phone: (847) 377-3000