POMONA, N.Y. -- The wife and daughters of a New York City police officer who was killed on Sept. 11, 2001, have been terrorized allegedly by a Haverstraw teenager who hacked into their computer.

Rockland police say the family of NYPD Sgt. John Coughlin are still dealing with his death. Police say a 15-year-old hacker was sending them messages, including a photograph of the sergeant with the word "dead" written across it in what looked like dripping blood.

Rockland Sheriff Lt. John Gould says the county's computer crime task force spent four months tracking down the hacker. The hacker sent an e-mail to Patty Coughlin that contained a virus. Once the e-mail was opened, the virus was activated. It allowed the hacker to obtain control of Coughlin's computer and access files, e-mails and address books. Coughlin said the hacker used her e-mail address on outgoing messages and sent pop-up ads that purported to be from Satan.

Gould says the hacker also used a computer audio program that allowed voices to be transmitted over the Coughlins' computer that told the family they were being watched.

Police plan to charge the teenager in Rockland Family Court with felony computer trespassing and computer tampering, and with misdemeanor charges of unauthorized use of a computer and aggravated harassment.

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