Florida repair tech accused of saving copy of explicit video from customer’s phone

KIRO 7 News ^ | December 22, 2022 | Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — A repair technician working on a Florida woman’s phone found an “explicit video” among her files and made a copy for himself, authorities said.

According to a news release from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Cody Austin Terry, 28, of North Port, was arrested on Monday. He was charged with accessing a computer or electronic device without authority, WINK-TV reported.

According to the sheriff’s office, the victim took her iPhone to an I-Fix store in Port Charlotte and left it with the suspect for approximately two hours to be repaired. Deputies allege that Terry browsed the woman’s files and discovered an explicit video saved to the device. Terry then allegedly texted the file to his phone, the sheriff’s office said.

The next day, the victim discovered the sent text message and noticed the video had been deleted from her device, the sheriff’s office said. She made a report to the sheriff’s office, and detectives traced the text to Terry’s phone, The Miami Herald reported.

After speaking with a detective, Terry allegedly agreed to allow a search of his phone, the sheriff’s office said. He also allegedly guided the investigator to a hidden file on his phone where the video was located.

Terry also signed a waiver to allow deputies to download the contents of his phone. They verified that the file had been sent from the victim’s phone number while the device was in for repairs, deputies said.

[SaveFerris]

It worked wonders on that backup phone. Did it about 6-7 months back.

I can only hope it would work on this other phone.

[BfloGuy]

If he’d sent it to the FBI, there’d be no problem.

[OKSooner]

He wasn’t authorized to take her data, no matter how good it is.

[Svartalfiar]

This guy works in a job fixing phones, deletes the original video, yet he’s not smart enough to delete the sent message?

[Svartalfiar]

She authorized him to access it to repair it.

You hire a plumber, yes, they are inside your pipes.Here, they’s basically sharing the guy with illegal pipe access. See how that’s a problem?

...If you give your plumber permission to fix the leaky toilet in your downstairs bathroom, is it acceptable for him to simply wander off and start working on your master bathroom upstairs? Remove your wife's fancy faucets and take them home?

He had authorization to access the device for the purpose of repairing it, nothing more. Unless that process somehow required him to go through her private image/video folder (highly doubtful), then no, he didn't have authorization to access those folders.

And ignoring the access issue, he certainly didn't have authorization to copy or retain any files from the device, much less personal images or videos, explicit or not. And of course, deleting the file afterwards, he certainly didn't have permission to do that, I bet.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I use an app called CX File Explorer. It recognizes internal Main Storage and the SD card...plus external storage and allows moving files from on to the other. It’s great and easy to use.

[tuffydoodle]

I love you guys. I needed that laugh this morning.

[Lazamataz]

Glad you enjoyed. :^)