Computer tampering charges in Will County prosecutor’s office

A special prosecutor filed criminal charges this week against a Will County State’s Attorney’s Office employee and her daughter for alleged computer tampering, according to court records.

Special Prosecutor Dave Neal filed charges against Amy Burgett-Masse, 44, and Ryanne Burgett-Masse, 20, of Elwood, with computer tampering and aggravated computer tampering.

Amy Burgett-Masse, an employee of the State Attorney’s Office, was also charged with two counts of official misconduct, both felonies, for knowingly using her position “with intent to impede, impede, or prevent the investigation, apprehension, or prosecution of a criminal offense or person,” the charges state.

The computer tampering incidents allegedly took place between September 20, 2024 and May 6, according to court documents.

While working an unrelated case on April 28, Will County sheriff’s detectives learned of information suggesting that an employee of the State Attorney’s Office may have illegally accessed and shared confidential information with a known gang member, sheriff’s spokesman Kevin Hedemark said in an email.

Detectives worked with the state attorney’s office to identify the employee and began an investigation, Hedemark said. The findings of the case were submitted to the special prosecutor on July 22, he said.

“Given the potential impact on active cases, state and local authorities have been informed of the investigation,” he said.

Charges were filed Monday and both women are scheduled to appear before Judge Derek Ewanic on Friday.

The aggravated computer tampering charge states that the defendants accessed the State Attorney’s Office computer network and deleted data from the network. As a result, it created a “high probability of death or serious injury to one or more persons…identified as witnesses” in Will County criminal investigations, according to court documents.

A second aggravated computer tampering charge alleges the defendants caused a disturbance and interfered with the operations of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, according to court documents.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance journalist.