Johnston magistrate pleads guilty to using criminal database to help friend, hurt foes

Velody Foye-Byrd pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of accessing government computers and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, suspended to 18 months of unsupervised probation. She resigned her position and agreed not to seek another magistrate position or any government job with access to personal information about people.

The State Bureau of Investigation started looking into Foye-Byrd's activities last fall, following a tip that she was giving people a heads-up before warrants were served against them. Johnston County District Attorney Susan Doyle said Monday that she called in the SBI because she worried that such actions could endanger law enforcement officers.

An audit of Foye-Byrd's activity on CJLEADS, a state database used by law enforcement and court officials, determined she had searched for information about numerous individuals that had no connection to her duties as magistrate. She had searched one person's name 71 times and another 42 times, authorities said.

A search of Foye-Byrd's phone records and Facebook account showed that she had "personal issues" with the two people, authorities said.

Foye-Byrd also searched for information on a bondswoman who was a friend of hers, and she told investigators that she had tipped her off about an outstanding warrant against her.

"I am satisfied that the defendant will not be able to invade the privacy of citizens or endanger law enforcement through her employment again," Doyle said in a statement. "The integrity of the [database] cannot be violated by those seeking to use CJLEADS for personal gain or to further personal vendettas. Such actions shake public confidence and endanger law enforcement officers attempting to discharge their official duties."