County Pays $600,000 to Security Researchers After Botched Arrests

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Penetration Testers Win $600,000 Settlement in Wrongful Arrest Case

January 30, 2026 ⁤ – Two cybersecurity professionals, Gary DeMercurio adn Justin Wynn, have been awarded a $600,000 settlement following⁤ a lawsuit alleging wrongful arrest ⁤and‍ defamation. The case stems from an incident ​in 2019 where the two were arrested while conducting⁤ a legally authorized security assessment of the dallas County Courthouse in Iowa.

the Incident and initial Arrest

DeMercurio and Wynn, employed by the security firm Coalfire Labs at the‌ time, were contracted by the Iowa Judicial Branch ‌to perform‌ a “red team” ​exercise. These exercises simulate real-world cyber and physical attacks​ to identify vulnerabilities in an association’s security infrastructure.The contract explicitly permitted physical security testing,

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