Greenville Councilman's Conviction Upheld

COLUMBIA, SC—Acting United States Attorney Kevin F. McDonald stated today that the conviction of former Greenville County Councilman Harold Anthony "Tony" Trout was affirmed in a four-page opinion issued today by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia. Trout was convicted by a federal jury in Spartanburg last year for computer hacking and related charges, and was sentenced to serve one year in federal prison. He is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Beckley, West Virginia.

Trout had appealed his conviction, claiming he was not given a fair trial because the trial judge allowed prejudicial testimony about Trout´s negative history with other council members and county staff. The three judge panel rejected Trout´s argument, ruling that the evidence was more probative than prejudicial, and that the testimony provided "context to Trout´s conduct underlying the charges."

The case was investigated by agents of the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Dean Eichelberger of the Columbia office and Trial Attorney Josh Goldfoot of the Department of Justice´s Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section handled the case.