Rebekah Jones, a former Florida health department data scientist who says she was wrongfully fired last year, has been charged with one count of violations against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks and electronic devices, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
Driving the news: Jones turned herself in on Sunday night after an arrest warrant was issued against her. Authorities raided her home last month, causing outrage online after she tweeted a video of the incident.
- At the time, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) told local news outlets that it had opened an investigation on Nov. 10 “ after receiving a complaint from the Department of Health about unauthorized access to a Department of Health messaging system that is part of a emergency alarm system, which should only be used in an emergency. “
Overtaking quickly: Jones was fired last year for refusing to “manipulate data” for the state, according to the Tallahassee diplomat.
- The Florida Health Department has called Jones’ initial allegations of data manipulation “blatantly false.”
- A spokesman for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) told the Miami Herald in May 2020 that Jones was removed from her position for “repeated insubordination,” including the modification of the department’s COVID-19 dashboard.
- Jones later created her own coronavirus case tracker as an alternative to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.
What they say: “The raid was based on a lie. Still, the state has issued an arrest warrant for my arrest – although the ‘crime’ is unrelated to the warrant, the scope of the warrant, and they haven’t waited for a third party to view confidential information on my computers, ” Jones tweeted Saturday.
- The new allegation was made the day after a judge in Tallahassee told police that if they weren’t investigating a crime, they would have to return my equipment. They found no evidence of anything related to the warrant, so they figured out. something new for come after me in retaliation, ”she added.
- “To protect my family from ongoing police brutality and to show that I am willing to fight anything they throw at me, I turn myself into the Florida police on Sunday night. The governor will not win his war on science and free speech He will not silence those who speak out. “
- On her release after paying bail on Monday, she told reporters she had just tested positive for COVID-19, per CNN.
The FDLE did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment, but in a statement to the WSJ, officials said: “ Evidence obtained from a search warrant on Dec. 7 shows that Jones illegally accessed the system by sending a message to about 1,750 people and confidential FDOH has downloaded data and stored it on its devices. “
For the record: Jones has denied sending the message or accessing a restricted site illegally, the WSJ noted.
The big picture: DeSantis has been criticized for its handling of the pandemic.
- An investigation by the Sun Sentinel in South Florida, published in early December, reported that the “government of DeSantis engaged in a pattern of spider and concealment that misled the public about the most serious health threat the state has ever faced.” has had”.
Go deeper: Florida police raid the home of a scientist who challenged the state based on COVID-19 data