Holbrook teen pleads not guilty to hacking charge

The teenager suspected of hacking into the Sachem school district computer system accessed student records that included Social Security numbers and confidential medical information, a Suffolk prosecutor said Saturday.

Matthew Calicchio, 17, of Holbrook, a student at Sachem North High School in Lake Ronkonkoma, pleaded not guilty to computer trespass, a felony, in First District Court in Central Islip.

Judge Paul Hensley released the teen without bail.

"He's an intelligent young man. He did well in school," Calicchio's attorney, Steven Politi of Central Islip, said afterward.

Authorities say Calicchio illegally accessed and downloaded Sachem student records in 2012 and 2013.

From July through November this year, police said Calicchio posted the information on a website provided by 1Apps.com, and Sachemunspun.com, a community forum.

Calicchio has made "oral admissions" about accessing, downloading and posting the data, according to the criminal complaint.

He declined to comment as he left court with his family.

District officials complained to police after learning on Nov. 8 that private student information had been posted. The data included a list of 15,000 student names dating to the early 2000s, along with school identification numbers and lunch designations, officials said.

Student records for about 360 Sachem East High School graduates from 2008 were also posted, along with a report on about 130 Sachem North students in 2010-2011 who received "instructional services in an alternative setting," Superintendent James Nolan said in a statement.

In court Saturday, a prosecutor said Calicchio also "downloaded and took" student Social Security numbers and medical information. It was not immediately clear whether that information was also posted.

Nolan and school board members could not be reached for comment.

Fred Gorman, who operates Sachemunspun.com, said he had to take down several posts that included the student data. He said he granted detectives internal access to his site to assist in the investigation.

Calicchio was arrested Friday. He is due back in court on Dec. 9.