Head Start: College Kid Gets Prison For Rigging Student President Election

from the get-'em-while-they're-young dept

We've covered mishaps with regard to e-voting in elections for quite a while now, but you may have noticed that these stories tend to revolve around the big leagues of politics. E-votes to hotmail accounts in national elections, experimental patches being applied to voting machines in Ohio, and Irish voting machines so horrifically flawed that they ended up being sold for less money than required to buy a pint of Guinness are all to do with, shall we say, professional politicians. And just as with the sporting world, the college ranks of amateur politicos are left untainted by this sort of malfunction, drama, and cheating.

Actually, just like in the sporting world, the college ranks can be every bit as dirty, as shown by the story of how one former college student will get jail-time for rigging his school's elections for President of student government.
Matthew Weaver, 22, of Huntington Beach, Calif., stole almost 750 students' identities to try and become president of the San Diego County college's student government. His plan went awry when the school's computer technicians noticed an anomaly in activity and caught Weaver with keystroke loggers as he sat in front of the suspicious computer.
Yes, the aspiring politician did what we all kind of assume professional politicians do: played dirty. In what was apparently a months-long plot to get something like $30k in stipends, Weaver bought keylogging software and installed it on university computers to get student credentials and vote for himself. His plan was to win Student President and then appoint a bunch of his frat brothers into roles to keep the stipends rolling in. You know, like pretty much all politicians do. And, to keep the parallel going, Weaver made matters worse by trying to cover up his fraudulent behavior by creating fake Facebook accounts for his stolen identities and then make it look like they were all supporting his campaign and alluding to a frame-job when the university began its investigation.
"He's on fire for this crime, and then he pours gasoline on it to try to cover it up," the judge reportedly said during Monday's sentencing hearing.
When that bit of trickery failed, Weaver, as pro-politicians eventually do, admitted his guilt in court, got a year in prison, and the elections were voided and will be reheld. In the meantime, SDC College will be without anyone in its senior student political office, just for a bit of fraud and asshattery. I can only assume that after he's released from jail, he'll announce his candidacy for Governor of Illinois.
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Filed Under: college elections, elections, rigging elections


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  1. icon
    Trails (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 2:30pm

    I can only assume that after he's released from jail, he'll announce his candidacy for Governor of Illinois.

    BAZINGA!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Pixelation, 22 Jul 2013 @ 2:47pm

    And Bush didn't serve any time...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    chad holbrook, 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:00pm

    I don't get it.

    I don't understand how he was able to install the keylogger. Is there no security at SDC? I know that they noticed it and caught him but there shouldn't have been any way that a student has root access to the local machine to install the software. So there is another parallel to the our government. They stop something that should never have been possible. Sloppy work for everyone except the network team. He will end up running some company that will own the politicians instead of becoming one.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. icon
    Wally (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:09pm

    Voting Machines...

    Oh man I almost forgot about that software patch that northern Ohio got. Living in Knox County, Ohio...which is in central Ohio...refused to patch the voting machines.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. icon
    Wally (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:10pm

    Re: I don't get it.

    He could have used a simple thumb drive or SD card to load the key logger on boot. He could get user names and passwords that way.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. icon
    Wally (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:12pm

    Re:

    You mean Obama? The Ohio E-Voting machine a candle happened when pretty much everyone was distracted by the flooding along the I-90 corridor along the Lake Erie Shoreline.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    zerostar83, 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:16pm

    Somewhere out there

    Find a quiet place, and listen carefully. You'll hear the voice of a politician muttering "Do as I say, not as I do, damn kid!"

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. icon
    OldGeezer (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:32pm

    Got no sympathy for this guy. This was not Aaron Schwartz crusading for an open internet. This was a thief plotting to steal thousands of dollars. He deserves to go to jail. Note though that he basically got a minimum sentence for a felony and not 30 or 40 years. You only get that when you step on a lot of toes and they are gunning for you. Likely he won't do the whole year if he behaves himself.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. icon
    madasahatter (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:32pm

    Party?

    Did he declare what party he belong to?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    PRMan, 22 Jul 2013 @ 3:37pm

    Re: Party?

    Yeah, frat party.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. icon
    John Fenderson (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 4:05pm

    Re: Re:

    Well, Bush. I don't know much about this with Obama, but I'd be willing to entertain the idea that he should be added to the list, too. This isn't a partisan problem at all.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 4:10pm

    Talk about misleading headlines...

    The guy obviously got jail time for computer fraud and stealing peoples' identities.

    Maybe I'm wrong - is there a criminal law on the books for rigging a college election?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Gee, 22 Jul 2013 @ 4:15pm

    not to worry. Representatives from the Democratic and Republican Parties have already been dispatched to welcome him aboard.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 4:47pm

    Re: Re:

    Yes, you are absolutely correct!!!!
    Only the DemoLibTards would EVER stoop to such tactics.
    The GOP is above all that juvenile below the belt criminal activity. They are perfect in every way and are being ruthlessly attacked with baseless claims about activities they would never even think about.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 4:49pm

    He's not nearly crooked enough to run for governor in IL.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 4:56pm

    Re:

    I think the point is ... others have not been prosecuted for similar or more grievous crimes.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 6:01pm

    Tim whats your excuse ???

    At least politicians lie and cheat for valid reasons, what's your excuse ?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 6:03pm

    So they can arrest students, but can't bring themselves to arrest real politicians that are even worse?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  19. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 6:14pm

    Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    Why is the headline of this article A BLATANT LIE ??? Tim ?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  20. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 6:38pm

    Re: Tim whats your excuse ???

    This coming from someone who could not tell the truth if their life depended on it.

    Hey AJ, when are you going to finally admit to cheating on your exams?

    Still to gutless to come clean?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  21. icon
    Akari Mizunashi (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 7:10pm

    "In the meantime, SDC College will be without anyone in its senior student political office..."

    So what you're really trying to say is SDC College will have the greatest year on record in the school's history due to the absence of a political office.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  22. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 7:17pm

    Re: Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    You are a blatant lie, darryl.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  23. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Jul 2013 @ 8:02pm

    Re: Tim whats your excuse ???

    "At least politicians lie and cheat for valid reasons"

    And what - exactly - might those reasons be?
    Whilst waiting for enlightenment, might I suggest a few reasons?
    1) complete lack of ethics or morals
    2) financial gain
    3) sex
    4) additional power (over those less fortunate because that is much more enjoyable)
    5) revenge
    6) spite
    7) just because
    8) megalomania
    9) sociopath

    link to this | view in thread ]

  24. icon
    jupiterkansas (profile), 22 Jul 2013 @ 9:13pm

    Re:

    Yes, that kid's got a bright future.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  25. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 1:07am

    As much as I hate living in Illinois and all of the corruption in our leadership, I can't hold them 100% accountable. Somehow the idiots in our state keep voting them into office.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  26. icon
    McCrea (profile), 23 Jul 2013 @ 1:14am

    Re: Talk about misleading headlines...

    I imagine it was more about the $36,000 stipends for the 5 positions.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  27. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 2:16am

    Re:

    Students don't have armies of lawyers.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  28. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 3:17am

    Basic tennant of REAL Journalism

    TELL THE TRUTH.... !!!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  29. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 3:19am

    Re: Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    TD Censorship at it's best,

    Sorry for calling you out for this lie, but it is what it is, try to hide it all you like.

    It's easier if you ignore it after all, if you find the truth distasteful, then by all means avert your eyes, censor away !!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  30. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 3:25am

    Truth might even be INCONVENIENT

    Does not make it any less the truth..

    Avoid it all you like,

    Censor it all you can. At least have the balls to admit it, even if you don't feel obliged to state it. (truth that is).

    And you wonder why TD will never be considered "mainstream media".

    Truthfulness
    ACCURACY
    objectivity
    impartiality
    fairness
    public accountability

    just to name a few.. and to highlight your ongoing and continuous failure to even come close to a code of conduct.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  31. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 3:28am

    One day

    ONE day you are going to come across something that is actually truthful that supports your world view, but when you post it here no one will take you seriously, because most of the stuff you post here is easily shown to be based on lies and biased opinion.

    Hear about the boy who called wolf ?

    (motto, don't lie).
    (or don't tell the same lie twice... DS9)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  32. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 3:29am

    Re: Re: Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    wow great come back !!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  33. icon
    Dark Helmet (profile), 23 Jul 2013 @ 6:04am

    Re: One day

    Wow, you are especially crazy today, aren't you?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  34. identicon
    Pragmatic, 23 Jul 2013 @ 6:05am

    Re: Re:

    So losing Ohio had nothing to do with Governor Romney's lies about the Jeep jobs being outsourced to China?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  35. identicon
    Percius Grammaticus, 23 Jul 2013 @ 6:19am

    Re: Basic tennant of REAL Journalism

    tenet

    link to this | view in thread ]

  36. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 6:20am

    Re: Re: Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    So that's two words you don't understand the meaning of: lie AND censorship.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  37. icon
    dennis deems (profile), 23 Jul 2013 @ 6:21am

    Re: Re: One day

    This story seems to cut close to the bone for some...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  38. identicon
    Percius Grammaticus, 23 Jul 2013 @ 6:23am

    Re: Re: Re: Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    And "sorry"; that makes three words.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  39. icon
    Ninja (profile), 23 Jul 2013 @ 6:49am

    Re:

    I was thinking something similar.

    as pro-politicians eventually do, admitted his guilt in court, got a year in prison, and the elections were voided and will be reheld

    In pro politics nobody is punished.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  40. identicon
    Percius Grammaticus, 23 Jul 2013 @ 7:36am

    Re: Truth might even be INCONVENIENT

    The phrase "ongoing and continuous" is redundant.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  41. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 9:19am

    Re: Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    Then tell us what part of it is a blatant lie?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  42. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2013 @ 9:19am

    Re: Accuracy in reporting.. code of ethics

    How is it a "blatant lie"?

    Lets look at the title:
    "College Kid Gets Prison For Rigging Student President Election"

    now lets looks at the source post:
    "http://threatpost.com/college-student-gets-year-in-prison-for-election-fraud/101365"

    Is this person a a college student? Yes
    Did he rig an election? Yes
    Was it a student presidential election? Yes
    Will his actions involve him going to prison? Yes, for 1 year

    So where is this "lie" exactly?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  43. icon
    Matthew Cline (profile), 23 Jul 2013 @ 4:12pm

    How is it a "blatant lie"?

    I'm just guessing here, but I think that anonymous's point is that there isn't any law which makes it illegal to rig a college election, and instead the student jail time for computer fraud, identify theft, and so on. But at worst that's just being misleading, and the result of unskillfully summarizing, rather than intentionally trying to deceive.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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