After leaving his university, he was employed at Los Alamos National Laboratory as a computer network engineer.
[5] Although Heckenkamp challenged the evidence gained through the search of his computer as an invasion of privacy, the legality of the university's actions was upheld on appeal.
[4] Heckenkamp had steadfastly maintained his innocence, claiming that someone else used his computer to launch attacks and that none of the evidence definitively links him to criminal activities.
[2] After being prosecuted, he was represented by Jennifer Granick, then the clinical director of the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School.
[3] Heckenkamp eventually entered into a plea bargain in which he admitted guilt and was sentenced to time served, after spending eight months in prison.