An 18-year-old high school senior is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges alleging he and a schoolmate hacked into their school’s computer in a scheme to improve their chances of college admission.
Tanvir Singh, 18, of Ladera Ranch, is expected at the Newport Beach courthouse at 1:30 p.m. to answer to one felony count each of conspiracy, burglary, computer access and fraud, as well as attempted altering of a public record, said Farrah Emami of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted, she said.
Omar Khan, 18, of Coto de Caza, will face 34 felony counts when he is arraigned at 9 a.m. on Thursday in Harbor Justice Center. Khan, who should have graduated today with the rest of his class at Tesoro High School, is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail and faces up to 38 years and four months in prison, Emami said.
Between Jan. 23 and May 20, Khan allegedly broke into locked rooms at the Rancho Santa Margarita high school, where he was a senior, on several occasions late at night and on weekends to access school computers and change his grades, as well as scores on Advanced Placement tests and school records from previous semesters, Emami said.
Khan changed grades of “C,” “D,” or “F” to “A,” she said.
Khan also stole personal log-in information from teachers to gain access to their computers and grades, primarily changing his own grades, but also altering the permanent transcript grades of a dozen other students, Emami said.
On April 18, Khan allegedly cheated on an English class on a test, leading his teacher to seize the test and give Khan a failing mark, Emami said.
The test was turned over to the assistant principal, and that…