Alleged tampering with Facebook account leads to charges

Pontiac resident Jason G. Duke, born 1981, faces charges of first-degree harassment and tampering with computer data after allegedly accessing and tampering with a victim’s Facebook page.

According to the probable cause statement filed by Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin, the victim in the case contacted Martin and told him that Duke had accessed her social media account and made changes to the page.

“[The victim] advised Mr. Duke had changed her previous profile picture to a picture of [her] in bed,” Martin wrote in the report. “[She] advised the picture was unflattering and advised Mr. Duke was the only one who had that picture.

“[She also said] someone had went through her friend’s list deleting everyone on her Facebook page and changed the password making it impossible for her to access her own social media page.”

Martin asked the victim how she knew Duke was the one who changed the password. The victim allegedly told the sheriff that when she sent a password change, the change was sent to Duke’s personal email. She said that in order for her to change the password, Duke would have to approve the change from his email.

Duke is charged with the E class felony of harassment in the first degree and the misdemeanor charge of tampering with computer data.

He is set to appear at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 before Judge Raymond Gross in Ozark County Associate Court.