A Des Moines man has been sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison after carrying out a lengthy cyberattack campaign against the Saydel Community School District.
According to court records, 34-year-old Ezekiel Dean Potter was sentenced on June 11, 2026, to 21 months in prison for computer fraud. Prosecutors said Potter targeted the school district for more than 18 months after he was fired from his position in the district’s IT department in April 2023.
Before leaving the job, Potter downloaded more than 300 usernames and passwords connected to district accounts and systems. Authorities said he later used those credentials to access or attempt to access district programs, causing repeated disruptions to school operations.
The attacks began in June 2023 when one of the district’s social media accounts was taken offline. Over time, Potter attempted to remove employee access to key systems, delete accounts, and interfere with district technology services. Some of the attacks caused widespread technology outages and forced school staff to spend significant time restoring systems.
In January 2025, a series of attacks on district applications became severe enough that classes were suspended for several hours.
Investigators later determined that Potter carried out many of the attacks while working for other employers. Authorities also discovered he left behind a USB drive containing hundreds of district usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information. After realizing the drive had been left behind, Potter reportedly tried to get a former coworker to erase its contents.
In addition to the prison sentence, Potter was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay nearly $60,000 in restitution to the Saydel Community School District and its insurance provider.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Lubben.
