Case 2:12-cr-00211-MEF-WC Document 70 Filed 05/14/13 Page 1 of 16

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA NORTHERN DIVISION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V. DAVID MICHAEL CARROLL ) ) ) ) )

CR. NO. 2:12-CR-211-MEF

PLEA AGREEMENT DEFENSE COUNSEL Joseph L. Dean, Jr. David H. Estes, William A. Hall, Jr.

ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY:

COUNT AND STATUTE CHARGED Count 1: 18 U.S.C. 666(a)(1)(A) & 18 U.S.C. 2 - Theft or bribery concerning programs receiving Federal funds COUNT PLEADING PURSUANT TO PLEA AGREEMENT Count 1: 18 U.S.C. 666(a)(1)(A) & 18 U.S.C. 2 STATUTORY MAXIMUM PENALTIES Count 1: 18 U.S.C. 666(a)(1)(A) & 18 U.S.C. 2

A term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000, or both; a term of supervised release of not more than three years; an assessment fee of $100; and an order of restitution. ELEMENTS OF THE OFFENSE Count 1: First: 18 U.S.C. 666(a)(1 )(A) & 18 U.S.C. 2 - Theft or bribery concerning programs receiving Federal funds That Defendant was an agent of a state government, or any agency of that government; That Defendant without authority knowingly converted property to the use of any person other than the rightful owner; That the property was owned by, or was under the care, custody, or control of the agency;

Second: Third

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Fourth:

That the property had a value of $5,000 or more; and

Fifth: That the agency, in a one year period, received benefits of more than $10,000 under any Federal program involving a grant, contract subsidy, loan, guarantee, insurance or other assistance. The one year period must begin no more than 12 months before the defendant committed these acts and must end no more than 12 months afterward. Under Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, Defendant "aids and abets" a person if the Defendant intentionally joins with the person to commit a crime. Defendant is criminally responsible for the acts of another person if the Defendant aids and abets the other person. Defendant is also responsible if Defendant willfully directs or authorizes the acts of an agent, employee, or other associate. But finding that Defendant is criminally responsible for the acts of another person requires proof that Defendant intentionally associated with or participated in the crime - not just proof that Defendant was simply present at the scene of a crime or knew about it. In other words, a jury must find beyond a reasonable doubt that Defendant was a willful participant and not merely a knowing spectator. ** ** * *** * ** * ** ** * ** ** ** * ** * ** * ** ** ** * ** ** *** * ** * ** ** David H. Estes, Special Assistant United States Attorney, and Joseph L. Dean, Jr., attorney for the defendant, pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. ii (c)( 1 )(C), have, with the authorization of the undersigned defendant, heretofore entered into discussions with a view towards reaching a pretrial conclusion of the charges pending in the Indictment and a Plea Agreement has been reached by said parties in the following respects. The plea is being submitted to the Court pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 1 1(c)(1)(C), and the parties understand that, if the terms of the Plea Agreement are not accepted by the Court, the defendant will be allowed to withdraw the defendant's plea of guilty and proceed to trial. The parties further understand that, if at any time, the defendant breaches this agreement, his guilty plea may not be withdrawn.

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GOVERNMENT'S PROVISIONS 1. Upon entering a plea of guilty by the defendant to the offense charged in Count 1

of the Indictment, the attorney for the United States will do the following: a. The United States will agree that a 2-level decrease in the applicable

offense level pursuant to U.S.S.G. 3E1.1(a) for the defendant's acceptance of responsibility is appropriate, so long as between the date of this agreement and the date of sentencing, the defendant does not obstruct justice, commit any new federal or state offense, or otherwise fail to accept responsibility for the offense conduct. The United States finds that the defendant assisted authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the defendant's own misconduct by timely notifying authorities of the defendant's intention to enter a plea of guilty, thereby permitting the United States to avoid preparing for trial and permitting the United States and this Court to allocate their resources efficiently, and if Defendant otherwise qualifies, the United States will move at sentencing for a further reduction of one level, pursuant to U.S.S.G. 3E1.1(b). Determination of whether the defendant met the defendant's obligations to qualify for the reduction pursuant to U.S.S.G. 3E1.1 is at the sole discretion of the United States. b. The United States will agree, pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 1 1(c)(1)(C), that

the appropriate disposition of the case is a sentence of nine (9) months imprisonment (which falls within USSG Offense Level 11), a fine of $1,000, and restitution of $17,000 payable to the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts and of $20,000 payable to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center.
C.

Upon acceptance of the plea of guilty by the Court and the imposition of

the sentence set forth in paragraph 1(b), the United States agrees not to further criminally

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prosecute the defendant in the Northern or Middle Districts of Alabama for the specific conduct described in the indictment or statement of facts, as well as any other violations of federal law relating to computer systems, databases, or code owned, controlled, or managed by the Alabama Administrative Office of the Courts. 2. The United States makes no representation regarding the defendant's criminal

history category which will be determined solely by the United States Probation Office. 3. The United States reserves the right to inform the Court and the United States

Probation Office of all facts pertinent to the sentencing process, including all relevant information concerning the offenses and the defendant's background. DEFENDANT'S PROVISIONS 4. The defendant agrees with paragraphs 1 through 3 of the United States' provisions

and further agrees to the following: a. b. paragraph 1(b).

To plead guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment. To recommend the imposition of the sentence and fine set forth in

To pay restitution in the amount of $17,000 to the Administrative Office

of the Courts of the State of Alabama and $20,000 to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center. d. e. f. To not commit any state, federal, or local crimes pending sentencing. To reserve the right to argue for a downward variance. To inform the Court and the United States Probation Office of all facts

pertinent to the sentencing process.

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g.

To waive appeal and collateral attack as detailed below. FACTUAL BASIS

5. The defendant admits the allegations charged in Count 1 of the Indictment and understands that the nature of the charge to which the plea is offered involves proof as to Count 1 of the Indictment. Specifically, the defendant admits the following to be true and correct: a. The defendant, DAVID MICHAEL CARROLL, is a native and citizen of

the United States, born in or about April 1954, social security number xxx-xx-1307. b. The defendant retired as the Director of Information Systems of the

Alabama Administrative Office of the Courts ("AOC") on June 30, 2007. At the time of the conduct described below, he was no longer employed by AOC. The United States and the defendant agree that the offense charged in the Indictment is not related to, and does not arise out of or in connection with, his service as an employee of the State of Alabama.
C.

Jill Hawthorne was formerly a database administrator for AOC and, being

employed at AOC in November 2007, was an agent thereof at that time. d. CyberBest Technology, Inc. ("CyberBest") is a private software development company called headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The defendant had a working relationship with CyberBest management. f. On or about November 15, 2007, at 9:39am CST, the defendant sent an email to an employee of CyberBest, and Hawthorne stating, "What is the possibility of grabbing the NM project and DB scheme and installing it on the UA server? [] This would allow us to be totally independent of AOC[.]" "NM" refers to Namemaster, a database containing raw data pertaining to court records of most proceedings that take place in the State of Alabama that

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resides on a server located in Montgomery, Alabama. "DB scheme" means "database schema"; i.e., the blueprint for how the Namemaster database was constructed. "UA" refers to the University of Alabama. The code and database schema for Namemaster were the sole property of the Administrative Office of the Courts of the State of Alabama in November 2007. g. On or about November 15, 2007, at 10:00am CST, the Cyberbest

employee replied to the defendant and Hawthorne, stating, in pertinent part, "1. Moving NM Project is simple task. There are very few code changes in NM so we can update manually. 2. DB is huge. Does UA have massive server to host this DB? If yes then we need a sync plan for AOC NM db and UA NM db for everyday data updates at AOC." h. On or about November 15, 2007, at 10:34am CST, the defendant replied

to the Cyberbest employee and Hawthorne, stating, in pertinent part, "At most, we may want to pull down the names that are linked to a Jefferson County (01) CC cases ... maybe some 100,000 - 200,000 thousand[.] This would be a completely stand-alone version of NM so that we would be free of AOC[.] We would enable a internal link to the full copy of NM at the AOC for research purposes." i. On or about November 15, 2007, at 12:26pm CST, Hawthorne replied to

the defendant and the Cyberbest employee, stating in pertinent part, "Fine with me. Attached is the NM code. I will send the database schema in another e-mail. Once everything is set up on your end, let me know and I can send you 'Jefferson related records'. Please make sure you don't tell anybody I'm doing this. I don't want the lady in Birmingham to tell somebody at AOC and get me fired!!!! " The e-mail from Hawthorne included an attached archive file entitled "site.rar," which was the code for the Namemaster database.

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j.

On or about November 15, 2007, at 1:05pm CST, Hawthorne wrote an e-

mail to the defendant and the Cyberbest employee stating, in pertinent part, "Now - attached is the database schema. I just scripted every object in the Namemaster database. Let me know if you have any trouble with either." The e-mail from Hawthorne included an attached archive file entitled "NMSchema.rar," which was the database schema for Namemaster. k. The defendant admits that he aided and abetted Hawthorne in taking the code and database schema of Namemaster without the AOC's consent. The defendant admits that the code and database schema of Namemaster were in the care, custody, or control of AOC at the time they were taken. 1. During calendar year 2007, AOC received in excess of $10,000 under a federal program involving a grant, contract, subsidy, loan, guarantee, insurance, or some other form of federal assistance. m. The total value of the code and database schema of Namemaster in

November 2007 was in excess of $120,000. DEFENDANT'S WAIVER OF APPEAL AND COLLATERAL ATTACK 6. Understanding that 18 U.S.C. 3742 provides for appeal by a defendant of the sentence under certain circumstances, the defendant expressly waives any and all rights conferred by 18 U.S.C. 3742 to appeal the sentence, unless otherwise stated in this paragraph. The defendant specifically waives the right to appeal the sentence on the grounds that (a) the sentencing guidelines are in any respect unconstitutional, (b) any fact found by the Court for sentencing was not alleged in the Indictment, admitted by the defendant, found by a jury, or found beyond a reasonable doubt, (c) the sentence imposed was unreasonable, and (d) that the

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Court erred in determining the applicable guidelines range pursuant to the United States Sentencing Guidelines. The defendant further expressly waives the right to appeal the conviction and sentence on any other ground and waives the right to attack the conviction and sentence in any post-conviction proceeding, including proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 2255, unless otherwise stated in this paragraph. This waiver does not include the right to appeal on the grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel or prosecutorial misconduct, or to collaterally attack the sentence imposed on those grounds. But, other than those grounds, the defendant expressly waives the right to appeal or collaterally attack his conviction or sentence on any other ground. The defendant does not waive his right to appeal, should the Court fail to sentence the Defendant pursuant to Rule I1(c)(1)(C), as set forth in paragraph 1(b) above. 7. In return for the above waiver by the defendant, the United States does not waive

its right to appeal should the Court fail to sentence the Defendant pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(C), as set forth in paragraph 1(b) above. The United States does not waive its right to appeal any order vacating a sentence or otherwise terminating the prosecution at any stage of the proceedings. Further, the parties agree that nothing in this agreement shall affect the United States' right and/or duty to appeal as set forth in 18 U.S.C. 3742(b). However, if the United States decides to exercise its right to appeal, the defendant is released from his appeal waiver and may pursue any appeal pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3742 or otherwise. APPLICATION OF SENTENCING GUIDELINES AND 18 U.S.C. 4 3553(a) 8. Defendant acknowledges that defendant and defendant's attorney have discussed

the sentencing guidelines and defendant understands how the guidelines are applicable to defendant's case. Defendant further understands that the Court will consider the factors

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enumerated in Title 18, United States Code, Section 3553(a), in imposing a sentence. Specifically, the Court will consider: (a) (b) the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant; the need for the sentence imposed - (A) to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to provide just punishment for the offense; (B) to afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct; (C) to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant; and (D) to provide the defendant with needed educational or vocational training, medical care, or other correctional treatment in the most effective manner; the kinds of sentences available; the kinds of sentence and the sentencing range established for the applicable category of offense committed by the applicable category of defendant as set forth in the sentencing guidelines; any pertinent policy statement - (A) issued by the Sentencing Commission subject to any amendments made to such policy statement by act of Congress; and (B) that, except as provided in section 3742(g), is in effect on the date the defendant is sentenced; the need to avoid unwarranted sentence disparities among defendants with similar records who have been found guilty of similar conduct; and the need to provide restitution to any victims of the offense.

(c) (d)

(e)

(f) (g)

See 18 U.S.C. 3553(a). AGREEMENT IS BINDING ON COURT 9. Pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(C), Fed.R.Crim.P. (Binding Plea Agreement) the parties agree that a sentence of nine (9) months imprisonment (which falls within USSG Offense Level 11), a fine of $1,000, and restitution in the amount of $37,000 is the appropriate disposition of the case. The parties' agreement to a sentence of nine months imprisonment is premised upon two motions to be made by the United States: a motion pursuant to USSG 3E1.1 to give the defendant a three-level credit for acceptance of responsibility, and a motion for a downward departure to nine (9) months imprisonment (within USSG Offense Level 11) pursuant to USSG

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5K!.!. If the defendant provides "substantial assistance" as set forth in this agreement, and consistent with his proffer to the United States, the United States shall file the aforesaid motions prior to sentencing. The determination of whether to file this motion is in the sole discretion of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. If the defendant fails to provide "substantial assistance" as set forth in this agreement, including TRUTHFUL INFORMATION AND TESTIMONY WITH NO KNOWN MATERIAL FALSE STATEMENTS OR OMISSIONS, this agreement shall be null and void in its entirety. The government further reserves the full right of allocution. The parties agree that the defendant will pay restitution of $17,000 to the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts and $20,000 to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center. The defendant may withdraw his plea of guilty, pursuant to Rule 11 (d)(2)(A), Fed.R.Crim.P., if the Court rejects the plea agreement under Rule 11 (c)(5). However, as to any other terms and conditions of the sentence, other than the term of imprisonment, fine, and restitution, the parties fully and completely understand and agree that it is the Court's duty to impose sentence upon the defendant and that any sentence recommended by the parties, other than a sentence of nine (9) months imprisonment, a fine of $1,000, and restitution in the amount of $37,000, is NOT BINDING UPON THE COURT, and that the Court need not accept any other recommendations. Further, the defendant understands that if the Court does not accept the parties' recommendations, he does not have the right to withdraw his plea, other than the right previously addressed pursuant to Rule 11 (d)(2)(A) as to the term of imprisonment, fine, and restitution. DEFENDANT'S UNDERSTANDING AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT 10. The defendant, before entering a plea of guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment as

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provided for herein by said Plea Agreement, advises the Court that: a. The discussions between the attorney for the United States and the

attorney for the defendant towards reaching an agreed plea in this case have taken place with the defendant's authorization and consent. b. Other than as provided for under Fed. R. Crim. P. 1 1(c)(1)(C), 1 1 (c)(5)

and 11 (d)(2) the defendant acknowledges that a breach of this Plea Agreement by the defendant, to include committing another federal, state, or local offense prior to sentencing on the pending charges, will not entitle him to withdraw his guilty plea in this case. The defendant understands and acknowledges that the defendant's guilty plea will remain in full force and effect upon any breach of this agreement by the defendant.
C.

The defendant further understands that pursuant to Title 18, United States

Code, Section 3013, the $100.00 assessment fee is to be paid by the defendant on the date of sentencing. The defendant will make an honest, good faith effort to pay said fee as directed by the Financial Litigation Section of the United States Attorney's Office. The defendant further understands that by completing and submitting to the Court or the United States any financial statements, the defendant is representing that the statement is true and accurate to the best of the defendant's information, knowledge, and belief. d. The defendant understands that the defendant has a right to be represented

by an attorney at every stage of the proceedings against the defendant herein and is represented by the defendant's undersigned attorney. e. The defendant understands that the defendant has the right to plead not

guilty and has the right to be tried by a jury and, at a trial thereof, has the right to the assistance

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of counsel, the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses against the defendant, the right to call witnesses in the defendant's own behalf, and the right not to be compelled to incriminate the defendant, and that if the defendant enters a plea of guilty herein, there will not be a further trial of any kind and that by the entry of such a plea, the defendant waives the right to a trial by jury or to a trial before the Court. f. The defendant further understands that in entering a plea of guilty herein,

the Court may ask questions about the offense to which the plea is entered and further understands that if the defendant answers these questions under oath, on the record, and in the presence of counsel, which questions and answers would be recorded, that the answers may later be used against the defendant in a prosecution for perjury or false statement if the answers are not truthful. g. The defendant further understands and advises the Court that the Plea

Agreement as set forth herein and the plea to be entered by the defendant as a result thereof is voluntary on the defendant's part and is not the result of any force or threats or of any promises apart from the aforesaid Plea Agreement. The defendant further advises the Court that the Plea Agreement set forth herein is the result of prior discussions between the attorney for the United States and the attorney for the defendant, all conducted with the defendant's authorization, knowledge and consent. h. The defendant further advises the Court that the defendant's

understanding of this Plea Agreement is as set forth in this document. i. The defendant further advises the Court that it is understood that the

United States can only make a recommendation which is not binding on the respective Court,

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except as provided by Rule 1 1(c)(1)(C), which applies to this Plea Agreement. However, if the Court rejects this plea agreement, the defendant may withdraw his guilty plea, if the defendant chooses. j. The defendant further advises the Court that the defendant understands

and has been advised that evidence of a plea of guilty, later withdrawn or an offer to plead guilty to the crimes charged in the Indictment, or of statements made in connection with and relevant to said plea or offer to plead, shall not be admissible in any civil or criminal proceedings against the defendant. However, the defendant does understand that evidence of a statement made in connection with and relevant to a plea of guilty, later withdrawn, or an offer to plead guilty to the crimes charged in the Indictment, is admissible in a criminal proceeding for perjury or false statement when the statement was made by the defendant under oath, on the court record, and in the presence of counsel. k. The defendant is satisfied that defense counsel has been competent and

effective in representing defendant. 11. The undersigned attorneys for the United States and for the defendant represent to the Court that the foregoing Plea Agreement is the agreement of the parties that has been reached pursuant to the Plea Agreement procedure provided for in Fed. R. Crim. P. 11. The attorney for the defendant further advises the Court that the defendant has been advised of the nature of the charges to which the foregoing described plea is to be offered, and that the defendant has been advised of the defendant's right to plead not guilty and to be tried by a jury on all issues herein; of the maximum possible penalty provided by law; that by the entering of a plea of guilty as aforesaid, the defendant waives the right to be tried by a jury or by the Court, waives the right to

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confront and cross-examine witnesses against the defendant and the right not to be compelled to incriminate the defendant; and that if the defendant pleads guilty, there will not be a further trial of any kind. Further, the defendant has been advised that if the defendant pleads guilty, the Court may ask questions about the offense to which the defendant has pleaded and that if the plea is rejected or later withdrawn, that the answers to such questions may not be used against the defendant in a civil or criminal proceeding, but that the defendant's answers may later be used against the defendant in a prosecution for perjury or false statement if the answers are not truthful. 12. The defendant understands that the United States Probation Office will prepare a presentence investigation report for the Court. The Probation Officer will consider the defendant's conduct related to the offense to which the plea is offered, as well as the defendant's criminal history. The offense level or criminal history category as calculated by the Probation Officer and determined by the Court may differ from that projected by the defendant's counsel or the United States Attorney. In the event that the Court determines the defendant's offense level or criminal history category to be higher than the defendant anticipated, the defendant will have no right to withdraw the plea on that basis. However, nothing in this paragraph abrogates the defendant's right to withdraw his plea of guilty, pursuant to Rule 11(d)(2)(A), Fed.R.Crim.P., if the Court rejects this plea agreement under Rule 11 (c)(5).
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13.

This agreement binds the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Northern District of

Alabama and Middle District of Alabama (recused) and the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. However, this agreement DOES NOT BIND any other United States Attorney in any other district, or any other state or local authority. This day of May 2013. Respectfully submitted, JOYCE WHITE VANCE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

William A. Hall, Jr. Trial Attorney Special Assistant United States Attorney Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section Middle District of Alabama Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice

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I have read the foregoing Plea Agreement, understand the same, and the matters and facts set forth therein accurately and correctly state the representations that have been made to me and accurately set forth the conditions of the Plea Agreement that have been reached. IN ADDITION TO THE FOREGOING PROVISIONS TO WHICH I AGREE, I SWEAR UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT THE FACTS IN THE "FACTUAL BASIS" PARAGRAPH ABOVE ARE TRUE AND CORRECT AND THAT I AM SATISFIED THAT I HAVE RECEIVED COMPETENT ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION FROM MY DEFENSE COUNSEL, JOSEPH L. DEAN, JR.

David Michael Carroll Defendant

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Date }

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Jpph L. Dean, Jr. (ttomey for the Defendant

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