Tracy man indicted for damaging water treatment facility computer systems
OAKLAND – Rambler Gallo, a 53-year-old man from Tracy, California, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for intentionally causing damage to a protected computer. It is alleged that Gallo accessed the computer network for the Discovery Bay Water Treatment Facility in the Town of Discovery Bay, California, and deliberately uninstalled the main operational and monitoring system for the water treatment plant. This act posed a serious threat to public health and safety, according to United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, who made the announcement.
The indictment, filed on June 27, 2023, and unsealed recently, reveals that Gallo was previously employed by a private Massachusetts-based company referred to as “Company A,” which had a contract with Discovery Bay to operate the town’s wastewater treatment facility. In his role as the company’s “Instrumentation and Control Tech” from 2016 to 2020, Gallo was responsible for maintaining the instrumentation and the computer systems used to control the electromechanical processes of the facility.
According to the indictment, during his employment with Company A, Gallo installed software on his personal computer and on Company A’s private internal network, enabling him to gain remote access to Discovery Bay’s Water Treatment facility computer network. It is alleged that in January 2021, after resigning from Company A, Gallo remotely accessed the facility’s computer system and transmitted a command to uninstall the software that was essential for the entire water treatment system, which included water pressure, filtration, and chemical levels.
Gallo has been charged with one count of transmitting a program, information, code, and command to cause damage to a protected computer, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1030(a)(5)(A) and (c)(4)(B)(i). If convicted, he could face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Additionally, the court may order an additional term of supervised release, assessments, and restitution, if deemed appropriate. However, it is important to note that Gallo is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The defendant made his initial federal court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore, and his next appearance is scheduled for July 20, 2023, before Judge Westmore for further discussions on release conditions.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Frey, with assistance from Kathy Tat and Kevin Costello. The FBI is conducting the investigation into this matter.
It is vital to maintain the security and integrity of critical infrastructure systems, such as water treatment facilities, as they play a crucial role in public health and safety. Incidents like this one highlight the need for robust cybersecurity measures and continuous monitoring to prevent unauthorized access and potential threats to such vital infrastructure.