$2M bail set for former Penn State student. Questions remain about arrest, investigation
.JPG "Penn State police charged a former student with a pair of computer crimes.")
A former Penn State student charged Thursday with a pair of computer crimes is in jail while a seemingly related federal investigation regarding “critical infrastructure” is ongoing.
Zuoyu “Eric” Wu, 25, of Benner Township, was charged with felony counts of unlawful use of a computer and computer trespassing. District Judge Steven Lachman set bail Thursday at $2 million.
He appeared to be taken into custody at his home Wednesday evening after what neighbors described as an armed police operation involving more than a dozen officers. Penn State police would not share which agencies assisted in the operation. A spokesperson only told the Centre Daily Times that officers partnered with “assisting law enforcement to safely execute the search warrant in this case.”
While a pre-arraignment bail document obtained by the CDT noted an “ongoing federal investigation regarding criminal infrastructure,” the affidavit of probable cause filed by a university police officer makes no mention of an investigation. It instead details alleged computer crimes.
A former student auxiliary officer, Wu is accused of manipulating Penn State police dispatch programs that contain personal identifying information, vehicle registration data and criminal histories.
A university police officer said in an affidavit of probable cause that Wu changed settings in a password-protected administrative program that should not be accessible to student auxiliary officers, which are part-time and unsworn positions.
The university police radio system is managed and operated partly by Centre County Emergency Communications, police wrote.
In a document obtained by the CDT, the university police officer described Wu as a flight risk and said he is a pilot with “access to planes” who frequently travels outside the U.S.
According to the document, Wu recently declared $800,000 in liquid assets — cash or items that can quickly be converted with little or no loss in value. Wu’s bail conditions required him to surrender his passport.
No defense lawyer was listed and the Centre County Public Defender Office said it was not representing him as of Thursday afternoon.
Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna declined comment when reached by the CDT.
Large-scale police operation draws concern
One of Wu’s neighbors told the CDT they saw at least 10 unmarked law enforcement vehicles about 9:15 p.m. Wednesday along the 100 block of Magnolia Lane. She requested anonymity, citing her privacy, safety and because her interactions with law enforcement were “so negative.”
She said she initially believed there was a party or some other gathering, but later learned it was police activity. One man was wearing a vest that said “Police” and another was wearing a ski mask.
All the officials would disclose to her is that they were at the home on “official university police business doing a formal investigation,” she told the CDT. Officials seemed to be taking boxes and papers out of the house, which she described as disheveled.
“It seems silly to say because I was never in direct danger, but it was not a comforting sight to see so many men with guns just standing around and refusing to answer any questions,” she said. “... It was scary for sure, which seems like an understatement.”
Photos shared with the CDT show a masked official leading a man away in handcuffs. Another showed what appeared to be nine members of a heavily armed police tactical unit and an armored vehicle. They were wearing military-style gear in camouflage patterns, including ballistic helmets, protective vests, boots and face coverings. Several were carrying rifles.
A third photo showed a man wearing a jacket with “FBI” on the back.
The Penn State police spokesperson did not respond to a handful of questions, including why the affidavit did not address the federal investigation and why a seemingly large-scale operation was warranted.
Wu did not post bail and is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 20.