iPhone 4 Prototype Theft Earns Suspects Probation

iPhone 4 prototype theft suspects get probationBrian Hogan and Sage Wallower, the two men accused of stealing an iPhone 4 prototype from a bar and then selling it to Gizmodo last year, have been sentenced to a year of probation along with US$500 restitution.

The two will have to pay $250 each to Apple, and will have to perform 40 hours of public service as part of their sentence, too, according to CNET.

The tech blog Gizmodo found itself in the spotlight in 2010 year when it bought an iPhone 4 prototype that an Apple employee lost in a California bar. The blog posted photos and videos of what ultimately turned out to be the next generation iPhone. Gizmodo eventually returned the prototype, but not until after Apple’s legal department contacted the company demanding its return.

Gizmodo found itself in the spotlight again when police executed a search warrant at the home of Jason Chen, one of the blog’s editors. Authorities confiscated computers, hard drives, iPhones and other items from his home as part of a criminal investigation.

Gizmodo and its editors were spared criminal charges, although Mr. Hogan and Mr. Wallower weren’t quite so lucky. They both found themselves charged with misdemeanor theft for their involvement in the incident.

Both men plead no contest and were spared jail time because of their clean criminal records.

“The judge considered that Wallower had served in the armed forces and Hogan was enrolled in San Jose State, and neither had any criminal record, and decided that jail time wasn’t required,” said San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.