Prosecutor: Tollway worker used background check illegally
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An Illinois Toll Highway Authority employee has been charged with two counts of official misconduct for accessing a statewide computer database system for personal use, authorities said.
In May 2011, Hilen Chammas, 37, of the 4300 block of Florence Avenue in Downers Grove, ran an inquiry on the Illinois State Law Enforcement Agencies Data System for purposes other than law enforcement, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said Thursday.
An investigation by the Illinois State Police and the DuPage County state's attorney's office found that Chammas, a records specialist with the Tollway Authority, then shared the information obtained from the system with a friend, Berlin said.
The official misconduct charges are both Class 3 felonies, carrying a prison sentence of two to five years if convicted.
Bail for Chammas was set at $75,000.
“The allegations against Ms. Chammas are very serious,” Berlin said. “I would like to stress however, that these allegations are levied against an individual with the Tollway Authority and are in no way indicative of the Illinois State Tollway Authority as a whole. This appears to be an isolated incident and no other employees of the Tollway Authority were involved.”
The system provides access to information pertaining to stolen property, warrants, officer safety and missing or runaway persons. Access is limited to the state's justice community.
