Former University student Daniel Beckwitt received a continuance until June 3 on his case involving computer fraud, among other charges, Tuesday morning. Beckwitt appeared with counsel Thomas Bruno.

Beckwitt was arrested in mid-January on several charges: two counts for computer fraud and one each for property damage, eavesdropping, forgery, identity theft and possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owner Identification card. Bruno said because they were still obtaining evidence, which is police reports and other documentation, they weren’t ready to go to trial and asked for the continuance.

Beckwitt entered a plea of not guilty and said he is in negotiations with the prosecutor for a plea bargain. He also said there have been three or four continuances in the trial and said the nature of his crimes are the reason for the delay.

“They’re not used to handling cyber crime at the prosecutor’s office,” Beckwitt said.

Last November and December, police said Beckwitt used Super Glue and metal chips to damage locks at the Coordinated Science Laboratory. He alledgedly sent a string of illicit emails to students that offered to sell exam answers and placed keyloggers on several keyboards in Everitt Laboratory. Keyloggers record sensitive information, such as passwords, that give hackers access to email or bank accounts. A blog post by “Skunkworks” eventually led University Police to Beckwitt; “Skunkworks” listed hacking teaching assistants’ email accounts as one of his hobbies.

Police have also reviewed several postings on Reddit by the user “ECEhacker.”

Bruno said he is unsure whether he will ask for another continuance June 3 or be ready to go to trial.

“It’s a fluid situation; it’s too early to tell,” Bruno said.

Janelle can be reached at [email protected].