Across the region

GEORGIA

VA investigates breach of patient information

ATLANTA -- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a criminal investigation into a security breach of veterans' medical information at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a physician assistant stored unauthorized clinical information on her personal laptop regarding veterans who were seen at one of the VA specialty clinics. The newspaper cites an internal document it obtained.

Katie Roberts, the press secretary for the VA, confirmed the investigation.

The newspaper said the agency has yet to determine how many veterans are affected or the degree to which the data contained personal and medical information.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Appeal is denied for ex-county councilman

GREENVILLE -- A former South Carolina county councilman's appeal of his conviction of illegally accessing the county administrator's computer has been denied.

Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald said the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Tony Trout's request Friday.

In July, Trout was convicted on charges of placing spyware on Greenville County Administrator Joe Kernell's computer and posting private e-mails on a public Web site.

Prosecutors said the program also provided Trout with the administrator's private banking information.

Trout said he thought what he did was OK and regrets not checking federal law before e-mailing the spyware.

Trout was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. He is incarcerated at a federal prison in Beckley, W.Va.