Fain Attorney 'Not Surprised' By Camera At House
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The attorney for John Wiley Price's assistant says he's not surprised someone would secretly put a camera in a tree on her property to spy on her. Tom Mills says he's uncovered a pattern of spying on Daphe Fain and Price going back at least three years. Actions that he says include burglary and computer hacking.
Mills says his client didn't retrieve the camera when she saw it hidden in her tree... or even take a picture of it. But he claims the episode fits a larger pattern of spying. "And while I don't have anything but her word about the camera," Mills tells CBS 11 News, "I've got independent corroboration of the break-ins and the computer tampering."
Mills insists there were several break-ins of Fain's and Price's offices and that someone was accessing their computers. "And I've got a ¾ inch file of documents, I mean, I know it happened," Mills said. "Her county office and Commissioner Price's office have been burglarized in the past. I've got some documents so far from 2008-2009."
Mills claims whoever entered the offices must have had a key and even knew where surveillance cameras were and turned them around. He claims he'll soon have video to back it up. But county officials say this is the first they've heard of it and they have no records of any illegal entry claims. "There's nothing like that for IT logs or building security," according to Dallas County spokeswoman Maria Arita, who says she checked with the county's security supervisor. "He has checked back in recent history and there is absolutely nothing having to do with a break of security here—anybody's computer system."
Who does Mills believe would spy on Price and Fain? Likely a private citizen, he says, wanting any kind of evidence to use against Price. Not the government, but someone who may be feeding investigators information. According to Mills, "If a private citizen comes to the FBI and says, "I have this evidence," even if they got it illegally, the FBI can take it." The FBI continues not to comment on its ongoing investigation. Witnesses have been called to a grand jury two days this week.
Fain and Price and political consultant Kathy Nealy all had search warrants served on them last month in connection with an FBI and IRS probe of alleged money laundering, tax evasion, and bribery. No one, however, has been charged with any crime.
