Forensic Computer Expert to Present Report to Iroquois County Board Next Week
February 10, 2015Goofing Off at Work isn’t a Crime, but it Cost $250,000 in Watseka
March 13, 2015WATSEKA — A group of Iroquois County officials will pore over years worth of emails recovered from the work computers of former Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department employees in upcoming weeks, searching for further evidence of unethical and illegal conduct within the now-dissolved bi-county agency.
The work to be done by the Iroquois County panel — which will likely be comprised of county board members and perhaps the state’s attorney or one of his assistants — is part of the second phase of an investigation that could lead to criminal charges against ex-employees who abused their government positions.
The county is paying $5,650 to have computer forensic expert Andrew R. Garrett of Decatur-based Garrett Discovery Inc. look for evidence of waste and fraud on 18 computers used by ex-employees of the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department. Garrett has already examined each computer’s emails, but he wants county officials to see them, as well, to help determine if the emails contain legitimate work-related content or something less appropriate.