MINNESOTA COMPUTER BUSINESS INVESTIGATED FOR SELLING STOLEN EQUIPMENT FROM HEENEPIN COUNTY St. Paul Pioneer Press | 03/08/2007 | West St. Paul / Computer business investigated:

West St. Paul / Computer business investigated
Former Hennepin County employee might have been selling stolen equipment, authorities believe

A West St. Paul man is under investigation for allegedly operating a computer business using parts and equipment stolen from Hennepin County, including hard drives containing protected data and personal employee information.

In February, a detective with the Hennepin County sheriff's office obtained a search warrant and removed computers, hard drives, Palm Pilots and monitors from the home of 36-year-old David Martin Dyrhaug, a former county employee.

Dyrhaug had worked for the county since May 2005 as an "associate information technology specialist" but resigned in September after a supervisor conducted an internal investigation into the missing parts and equipment, according to the Dakota County warrant.

A 10-year Hennepin County employee, Isam Rajaei Al-Barghouthy, was fired in January as a result of the investigation. The sheriff's office searched his Minneapolis home in September and removed thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment believed to belong to the county.

Dyrhaug, who was appointed to the West St. Paul Charter Commission in September, told his supervisor he ran a small side business called Ideal Technology Services.

But the warrant describes Dyrhaug and Al-Barghouthy, 32, as alleged "co-conspirators in the theft of refurbished computer equipment … for personal profit by selling the equipment to their own personal contacts."

An assistant Hennepin County attorney said he was aware of the case but would not comment on the likelihood of charges. Authorities have made no arrests.

In e-mails taken from their work computers, investigators found a steady flow of sales talk.

Dyrhaug acknowledged sending Al-Barghouthy e-mails about computer sales but denied delivering stolen parts and equipment to him in person, according to the warrant.

Despite repeated phone calls from the Pioneer Press, neither man could be reached for comment.

Al-Barghouthy was a "senior information technology specialist" with the county's Human Services and Public Health Department.

In September, the Hennepin County sheriff's office searched his home and removed laptops, monitors, hard drives and other equipment valued at more than $16,000, according to the warrant.

The warrant states a "large quantity" of the equipment belonged to Hennepin County, and some of the hard drives contained "protected data of various departments … including personal identity information."

Craig Martin, a detective with the sheriff's office, said the case was still under investigation and that specialists were trying to determine the type and extent of sensitive information on the equipment.

"We don't know, and that's what forensics is trying to find out," Martin said.

Frederick Melo can be reached at fmelo@pioneerpress.com.