Alleged Cuesta College data thief accused of spousal battery

June 30, 2015

Lacey FowlerProsecutors allege a Cuesta College employee, who is accused of breaching the campus data system, also committed battery against her husband and participated in a drug operation with him. [Tribune]

Lacey Fowler, 29, already faces a felony count of illegally accessing computer data. Last week, prosecutors tacked on drug charges, as well as a charge of misdemeanor battery on a spouse.

Fowler is currently on leave from her position as a human resources analyst at Cuesta College. On May 31, Fowler allegedly breached the campus data system remotely and sent employee names, home addresses, phone numbers and social security numbers to her private email account.

When investigators served a search warrant at Fowler’s home, they found 4.5 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 7 ounces of heroin. The drugs have a combined value of about $27,000.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Fowler’s husband, Chad Fowler, earlier this month and charged him with possession of heroin and methamphetamine for sale, with an enhancement for possessing more than one kilo of meth. On Thursday, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed similar charges against Lacey Fowler.

Two days prior, prosecutors added misdemeanor drug and paraphernalia possession charges for an offense Lacey Fowler allegedly committed one day before the data breach.

The district attorney’s office filed the spousal battery charge during the previous week. The battery incident allegedly occurred on June 5, the same day that court records state Fowler allegedly violated a restraining order her husband filed against her.

Lacey Fowler has a long criminal history that includes an alcohol related reckless driving incident in 2005, drunk driving in Aug. 2006, a DUI in Nov. 2006, a drug paraphernalia conviction in 2007 and an arrest in 2007 for felony burglary and forgery. The 2007 felony charges were reduced to misdemeanors and then expunged in Nov. 2011.

Cuesta College hired Fowler as a temporary employee in 2008 and promoted her to a full time position in 2013.

Both Lacey and Chad Fowler are currently out of jail awaiting arraignments. Lacey Fowler is due to be arraigned on July 6, and Chad Fowler has a continued arraignment hearing scheduled for July 13.


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Are these Fowlers related to Robert Fowler of R.W. Hertel and Sons infamy?


I am still scratching my head as to why Cuesta hired her in the first place – especially if they do background checks, etc.


this story makes no sense to me at all. have you ever seen an application for employment for Cuesta? it is very thorough and detailed. obviously she was a friend of who hired her and then promoted because of who she knew. that person should be fired as well. perhaps they are an accomplice?


How did she even get that job!!?! I work at a school and I had to be Live Scanned and be forthcoming about any convictions on my record. (Thankfully there are none.)


It’s not a word I use very often but she really seems evil. And though I feel little sympathy for drug dealers, my guess is Smiling Lacey somehow pulled her husband down into the muck with her.


Now that the Feds have shared our personal info with the Chinese and locally our own thieving personal records, I would never spill my guts on any job application. Why would anyone? Oh yes, the coined answer, I have nothing to hide. That will change when you find out that you have everything to hide, the hard way.


Share? the Fed was hacked ,ur projecting self loathing and malinformation. this is a gov of people including you .


And the hits just keep coming…she has a conviction for forgery and Cuesta college hires her to a position with access to sensitive information. Come on guys, really?


A little more vetting is needed by the Cuesta people. Major failure in background checks, unless they have no standards, and if that’s the case, then, I’m speechless


“Fowler is currently on leave from her position” likely with pay, another reason to get unions out of the public sector.


unions unions unions

Enough already


I agree, enough already, time to get rid of them.


Welcome to the non-union moderation queue.


public sector unions are a problem why would the moderator argue that? now I see why my posts are held up for screening. maybe the moderator needs updating.


Basing a statement or opinion on “likely” discounts that statement or opinion entirely.


We would be able to say for sure unfortunately the taxpayers never get the truth, we are always told its a “personnel issue”.


“Opinion…… A belief or conclusion held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof”, not sure how saying”likely” really discounts an opinion, seems it falls squarely into the definition.


Police, District attorneys, City Managers, City Attorneys, and white collar employees are the ones who get leave with pay.


Shut up about unions already. They are just about the ONLY thing in this Country keeping salaries above Sweatshop wages right about now.


Quit letting the tail wag the dog here. VERY few employees are making it rich in the unions, and those that ARE I have listed above.


Please read the union contracts, all state leave with pay for most employee disputes, no difference on what level a certain employee is at. When over 80% of any entity’s budget is used for salaries, benefits and pensions that is a problem. Any private company with that lopsided of a budget would be out of business.