Man charged with stealing intellectual property from luxury boat manufacturer

Man Charged with Stealing Intellectual Property from Luxury Boat Manufacturer

Posted by
1 min read
September 30, 2020

BASS RIVER, NJ – Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan announced that a Bordentown City man has been charged with stealing proprietary intellectual property while he was employed by a luxury boat manufacturer in Bass River Township.

Cameron O’Connell, 27, of the 100 block of Prince Street, was charged with Computer Crime (Second Degree), and two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree). The weapons charges are unrelated to the computer crime, and were filed after two handguns were found during the execution of a search warrant by New Jersey State Police on September 22 at O’Connell’s residence.

O’Connell, who was taken into custody at that time, was released following an initial appearance in Superior Court in Mounty Holly. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a Burlington County Grand Jury for possible indictment.

“Industrial espionage is a very serious crime; the theft of trade secrets and other proprietary information can be devastating to a company,” Prosecutor Coffina said. “We are committed to protecting Burlington County businesses from the stealing of their property, whether at the sales counter or in the design room.”

The investigation began earlier this month after representatives from Viking Yacht Company in Bass River Township contacted New Jersey State Police and indicated their internal information network had been compromised. The company had determined that proprietary intellectual property had been downloaded onto a USB device via the defendant’s desktop computer after his login information had been utilized to gain access.

“O’Connell stole intellectual property by secretly downloading data from his employer’s internal network using a USB storage device. This type of theft comes with real-life consequences, which can cost companies millions and lead to job loss,” said Colonel Callahan, Superintendent of the
New Jersey State Police.

“We will continue to vigorously investigate and pursue those who seek to harm New Jersey businesses and ensure that anyone who attempts to profit from the theft of protected and proprietary information is held accountable.”

O’Connell, who is no longer with the company, will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Remy. The investigation was conducted by detectives from the New Jersey State Police’s Tuckerton Station.

 

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version