The State Bar of Texas, Austin The State Bar of Texas, Austin. Photo: Joel Salcido

A woman who worked at the State Bar of Texas for a short time earlier this year was arrested Friday for allegedly stealing personal identifying information of lawyers.

Jennifer Carolina Lebo, of Elgin, was charged with fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, said a Texas Bar press release.

Lebo was a temporary worker at the bar for about three months beginning in February. In April, the bar realized she may have obtained lawyers' information, and then immediately reported her to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The bar hired an outside computer forensics expert to help determine the nature and scope of the incident, said the release. Law enforcement determined Lebo took sensitive information of 12 lawyers, who were all notified of the breach in June. The bar has offered them access to free identity-protection services.

The Department of Public Safety is still investigating the incident, the release said.

"The State Bar had strict security measures in place at the time of the incident but has further tightened access and implemented additional safeguards to protect the information in our care," the news release said.

Texas Bar spokeswoman Amy Starnes said that Lebo worked as an administrative assistant in the bar's membership department.

It's normal for the bar to use temp workers in several departments as needed, and also to find new employees through a temp-to-hire process, she said. The bar works with a staffing agency to fill these types of positions.

According to the Texas Penal Code, the charge of fraudulent use or possession of identifying information occurs when someone has information like a person's name, date of birth, biometric data, identification numbers or Social Security numbers, and intended to use the information to harm or defraud another person.

Lebo was charged for having between five and 10 items, which makes the offense a third-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. She was booked into the Travis County Jail on Friday, and given a $8,500 bond, according to jail records.

No one from the press offices of the Department of Public Safety or the Austin Police Department immediately returned messages seeking comment before deadline.

Read the statement: