14 DAY TRIAL // Felix Roque, the mayor of the West New York town of New Jersey, has been acquitted of computer hacking and conspiracy charges. However, his son has been convicted for hacking.
56-year-old Felix Roque and his 23-year-old son, Joseph Roque, have been accused of hacking and taking down a website called “Recall Roque.” They have also been accused of harassing people believed to be connected with the website, NJ.com reports.
Joseph Roque didn’t contest the fact that he accessed the email account of the website’s operator, and removed the site’s content. However, he told the court that his father didn’t know about his activities.
The conspiracy charges against Joseph have been dropped, but for the hacking charge, he faces up to one year in prison or probation.
“My heart was always clean and I felt positive and I knew that at trial justice would be done — the truth would come out,’’ the mayor said after the verdict.