DAYTON, Ohio (CN) - Police in Springfield, Ohio, entered a teacher's house without a warrant after she unwittingly bought a stolen laptop, Susan Clements-Jeffrey says in Federal Court. She claims the laptop had a tracking device, and police used it to intercept confidential messages and photos she swapped with a male co-plaintiff.
Clements-Jeffrey says a student in her school sold her the HP laptop, which was originally purchased by Clark County and equipped with an Absolute Software "LoJack Computrace" tracking device.
Kyle Magnus, a theft recovery officer for the software company, sent Officer Geoffrey Ashworth a slew of documents and photographs gleaned from Clements-Jeffrey's computer, the lawsuit claims.
The information led Ashworth and Officer Noel Lopez to the plaintiff's house. She let them in after they lied about having a warrant to arrest her, Clements-Jeffrey claims.
She says they demanded to see her computer, arrested her for receiving stolen property and took her to the police station in handcuffs. En route, she says officers "were abusive, hostile and intimidating to her."
She was eventually released, and the prosecutor dismissed the charge against her.
Clements-Jeffrey and Carlton Smith accuse the defendants of invading their privacy and violating Clements-Jeffrey's constitutional rights.
Represented by Mike Moore of Columbus, the plaintiffs demand actual and punitive damages.
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