Feds Charge 22-Year-Old For Hacking Kansas Water Supplier

A Kansas man allegedly tried to tamper with the local water supply after hacking into a public water system, according to federal investigators. 

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice indicted 22-year-old Wyatt Travnichek of Ellsworth County, Kansas for the hacking crime, which federal investigators say took place two years ago. 

The incident is separate from last month’s breach involving a water treatment plant in Oldsmar, Florida. The Justice Department claims Travnichek remotely hacked into a protected computer belonging to a rural water district in Ellsworth County, Kansas. 

After accessing the computer, Travnichek then allegedly shut down certain processes that can affect “the cleaning and disinfecting procedures” at the water treatment facility. 

“By illegally tampering with a public drinking water system, the defendant threatened the safety and health of an entire community,” said Lance Ehrig, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Kansas, in the announcement. 

Federal investigators didn’t provide many details on the case. But the court indictment says Travnichek previously worked at the Ellsworth County rural water district from January 2018 to January 2019. 

“As part of his job responsibilities, the defendant was periodically tasked with remotely logging into the Post Rock computer system to monitor the plant after hours,” says the indictment, which notes the hack allegedly was carried out over a Samsung smartphone. 

The Ellsworth County rural water district serves over 1,500 retail customers and 10 wholesale customers in more than eight Kansas counties, according to the court indictment. 

If found guilty on both charges, Travnichek faces up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for illegally accessing the protected computer and tampering with the water system.