A San Dimas man pleaded guilty this afternoon to illegally accessing the computer system of his former employer and reading the e-mail messages of company executives for the purpose of gaining a commercial advantage at his new job at a competitor.

 Richard Glenn Dopps, 35, pleaded guilty to one felony count of obtaining information from a protected computer.
 Until February 2001, Dopps was employed by The Bergman Companies (TBC), a contracting firm based in Chino. After leaving TBC to go work for a competitor, Dopps used his Internet connection to gain access to TBC’s computer systems on more than 20 occasions.

 Once Dopps was inside the TBC systems, he read e-mail messages of TBC executives to stay informed of TBC’s ongoing business and to obtain a commercial advantage for his new employer.

 Dopps’ unauthorized access into TBC’s computer system caused approximately $21,636 in damages and costs to TBC.

 Dopps is currently on bond pending his sentencing hearing before United States District Judge Margaret M. Morrow on December 2. At sentencing Dopps faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

 The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 Release No. 02-134

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