Ex-sheriff sentenced for hacking then-wife’s work computer – at her court office

Lisa Slack made an emotional plea on behalf of Miles Slack, saying she was partly responsible for the jealousy that marred their 16-year marriage.

In April 2013, Miles installed a keystroke logger on his then-wife Lisa’s computer at the Clay County Magistrate Court office. The device was in place for two weeks, until a technician discovered it.

A sympathetic judge sentenced Miles to two years probation and a $1,000 fine.

Miles resigned as Clay County sheriff before pleading guilty in September 2013 to hacking into his wife's work computer in order to obtain her email passwords and chat room conversations.

"You have lost your position as sheriff, lost your career in law enforcement . . .  . That alone is enough," U.S. District Court Judge John Copenhaver told Miles

When Miles announced in 2012 that he would run for sheriff, then-Sheriff Randy Holcomb demoted Miles from chief deputy. West Virginia civil service laws don't let any deputies except chief deputies run, so Miles resigned.

Lisa said her husband then had "more time on his hands. . . I, too, I wasn't completely innocent. I've done things in our marriage I shouldn't have, as well... He’s a really good man; he made a mistake. Nothing he did was meant for the Supreme Court . . .  . He was totally after me."

Computers in West Virginia magistrates are owned by the West Virginia Supreme Court and connect to a central Supreme Court computer network.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Ruby had pressed for a multi-year sentence due to the sensitive data accessible through Lisa’s magistrate computer. Miles "sought out the public's trust and had been granted that trust," Ruby said. Even if it wasn't Miles' intention to see privileged information, it was unavoidable, the prosecutor added.

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