Investigators worry that the encryption — used for training — could be reverse engineered and used to tamper with voter registration.
A man from the Greenacres area has been charged for taking sensitive computer equipment from the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office.
The arrest comes amid ongoing national concerns about election security, despite multiple studies and audits consistently showing that voter fraud is rare and election systems remain secure across all 50 states.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, 59-year-old John Dominick Panicci removed an encrypted access key from a voter registration terminal during a volunteer training session on March 19, held in preparation for the March 24 special election between Josie Tomkow and Brian Nathan. Authorities say photographs taken during the session show him committing the act.
Officials noted that although the key was intended only for use with training databases, there were concerns that someone with technical expertise could potentially reverse-engineer it and use it for unauthorized or harmful purposes.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Panicci’s home, where they recovered the key along with numerous electronic and digital storage devices. He was taken into custody late Saturday, March 28.
Panicci now faces multiple charges related to property crimes and the theft or damage of computer equipment. Under Florida law, these offenses can carry penalties ranging from five to 30 years in prison if he is convicted.
During a hearing on Sunday, March 29, County Judge Frank Castor set his bail at $6,000, according to court records. A case conference is scheduled for May 21 before Circuit Judge Sherri Collins.
Panicci was represented at the hearing by the county Public Defender’s Office, which does not comment on active cases.
