UCSB Student Suspected of Leaking Private Health Data

Santa Barbara County sheriff’s detectives have searched the home of a UC Santa Barbara student suspected of supplying confidential county health care information to a campus newspaper.

Detectives searched the home of Russell Tokle, 22, a student and a former employee of the county Health Care Services, and removed more than 30 computer disks.

Health officials sought the search warrant after a reporter from the university’s student newspaper, The Daily Nexus, began questioning them about alleged dumping of patients into neighboring counties. Authorities said they suspected Tokle may have leaked county documents to the newspaper because he was friendly with a reporter and had placed telephone calls from the county health office to the Nexus.

However, Tokle said he was never in possession of the documents in question. He said the seized computer disks contained personal material, including homework, and that he might seek court action for their return.