Not that anyone needs a reason to not cheat on their academic record (It's wrong, OK?) but here's a really good one, for people whose moral compass might be wavering a bit.
Twenty-four-year-old Jacob Mahonri Espinal, a Brigham Young University-Idaho student, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years of probation for felony computer fraud and grand theft after he was caught altering his failing grades.
According to the Post Register, Espinal's attempt to correct his grades was pretty brazen. According to prosecutors, Espinal (a pre-med student) was caught when the school noticed a major discrepancy in his records. His failing grades magically became straight A's, and unless you get hit by a meteor and obtain special superhero studying skills, that just doesn't happen overnight.
Espinal reportedly used his access as a worker in the school's records office to make the changes himself. Worse still, Espinal then used his altered grades to get $7,000 in scholarships, of which he spent nearly $5,000.
Judge Greg Moeller called the case especially "nightmarish," pointing to what could have happened if a failing student like Espinal had actually been able to continue on to med school.
"Basically he stole a spot in the university from somebody, stole grades that he didn't earn, stole credit didn't earn and potentially damaged the reputation of the university," Moeller said.
Twenty-four-year-old Jacob Mahonri Espinal, a Brigham Young University-Idaho student, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years of probation for felony computer fraud and grand theft after he was caught altering his failing grades.
According to the Post Register, Espinal's attempt to correct his grades was pretty brazen. According to prosecutors, Espinal (a pre-med student) was caught when the school noticed a major discrepancy in his records. His failing grades magically became straight A's, and unless you get hit by a meteor and obtain special superhero studying skills, that just doesn't happen overnight.
Espinal reportedly used his access as a worker in the school's records office to make the changes himself. Worse still, Espinal then used his altered grades to get $7,000 in scholarships, of which he spent nearly $5,000.
Judge Greg Moeller called the case especially "nightmarish," pointing to what could have happened if a failing student like Espinal had actually been able to continue on to med school.
"Basically he stole a spot in the university from somebody, stole grades that he didn't earn, stole credit didn't earn and potentially damaged the reputation of the university," Moeller said.
