Sheriff’s Office Employee Arrested For Accessing Internal Emails: HCSO

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office employee was arrested after an investigation revealed that he accessed emails of other HCSO employees without authorization, the agency said in a news release.

Bruce Hartmann, 58, an IT systems administrator, was found to have accessed multiple Sheriff’s Office employees’ emails for non-work-related purposes since Oct. 9.

After HCSO Information Services Division personnel were told about Hartmann’s unauthorized activities, investigators determined that he accessed the emails of several employees.

During a recorded interview, Hartmann admitted to accessing the emails without authorization, the sheriff’s office said.

"HCSO takes any breach of trust and unauthorized access to sensitive information very seriously. This incident is a clear violation of our policies and the ethical standards we uphold. Our agency is committed to holding individuals accountable for their actions to maintain the integrity and trust of our organization,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said.

Hartmann was charged with one count of accessing a computer or electronic device without authority.

He was hired by HCSO on Sept. 6, 2006, and has been suspected without pay as of Wednesday.