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Former Texas Lottery employee arrested

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on">AUSTIN</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State> (AP) - A former Texas Lottery employee was arrested after a Travis County grand jury indicted him in connection with the possession of unauthorized data on more than 27,000 Lottery winners.

Authorities said Joseph Anthony Mueggenborg, 39, of Austin, was taken into custody Tuesday while undergoing training for his fourth job with the state.

The grand jury indicted Mueggenborg on May 14 on two first-degree felony charges of illegal use or possession of identifying information, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Efforts by The Associated Press to locate Mueggenborg's attorney were not immediately successful.

Mueggenborg has said he downloaded his own work files off his computer and took them to his next job, according to an affidavit attached to a search warrant.

The names and Social Security numbers of 27,075 mid-level lottery winners - people who have won prizes from $600 up to around $1 million - were on Mueggenborg's hard drive. Also included were the names, Social Security numbers and, in some cases, bank routing and account numbers of 639 current and former commission employees and 534 lottery retailers.

<ST1:p<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Travis</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceName> prosecutor Jason English said his investigation found no evidence that Mueggenborg had used the personal information.

"There are people on the (victims) list that feel they have had their information compromised, but nothing has led back to this defendant," English said.

In a letter sent out on Sept. 11, commission officials advised that more than 92,000 recipients put a fraud alert on their credit reports and check their bank statements.

The affidavit said Mueggenborg worked for the Lottery Commission from 1999 to 2007.

The information he allegedly took was discovered last year on a state computer at the Comptroller of Public Accounts where he later was employed. He was fired and the information turned over to criminal investigators, the Houston Chronicle reported.

At the time he was taken into custody - Mueggenborg, a computer analyst - was training for a job at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. English said it was "concerning" that the man was still working for the state after being fired by the comptroller.

Susan Stanford, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, said the department was unaware Mueggenborg had been fired and was under investigation when he was hired as a systems analyst three weeks ago.

The department has secured Mueggenborg's computer and begun a forensic study.

Travis County Jail officials said he was released Wednesday on a $100,000 personal bond. English said he had recommended bail be set at $100,000 and was disappointed that a judge released Mueggenborg on a personal bond.

Former Texas Lottery employee arrested | WOAI.COM: San Antonio News

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