Table of Contents
Ross Vollmer has been apprehended and charged with two counts of first-degree felony. The charges stem from allegations of theft of trade secrets and felony cyber crime unauthorized access.
Ross Vollmer of Andalusia, AL and frequenting Destin, FL has been arrested after his indictment by a Grand Jury in Gillespie County, TX. The former disgraced contractor of X8 Web Design was dismissed by the company for unethical conduct and later charged with stealing multiple client websites as well as stealing the organization’s proprietary web design system.
This article is intended to be an unbiased statement of the known facts in regards to the arrest and prosecution of Ross Vollmer. As in all legal matters, regardless of evidence against them, all suspects and subjects of postings herein are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Felony Indictment of Ross Vollmer
Ross Vollmer’s original Grand Jury indictment date was originally slated for June 5, 2023. The prosecution was perplexed to find that the accusing party represented by Jay Choquette of X8 IT, did not appear for the Grand Jury hearing. Unfortunately, he had been in a horrific motorcycle accident on June 3rd and was fighting for his life at BAMC Medical Hospital in San Antonio.
After several months in the hospital, Jay was able to attend the Grand Jury Indictment hearing in December of 2023, which resulted in Ross Vollmer being unanimously charged with multiple felonies. (Outside of the courtroom, one anonymous source stated that from their perspective, the offenses were so blatantly obvious and malicious, that they felt there should have been additional charges tacked on).
According to a friend of the defendant, when he was informed of Mr. Choquette’s horrific accident that would later cost him his leg and nearly his life, Ross Vollmer responded with the statement, “Good, he deserved it.”
The Official Arrest of Ross Vollmer
As of January 23, 2024, Ross Vollmer has been arrested on multiple felony charges of:
Felony Grand Theft of Trade Secrets
Felony Computer Security Breach worth greater than $300,000
According to arrest records, Ross Vollmer’s total bail was set at $200,000
You can view Ross Vollmer’s arrest record at Texas.Arrests.org
The Police Report Filed Against Ross Vollmer for theft
The original abridged Police Report filed in March of 2023 by a VP of X8 IT, (X8 Web Design) is as follows:
Case #: 2023-00005106 received by Gillespie County Deputy Hunter Bibb
Police Report: Felony Grand Theft of Digital Assets and Trade Secrets IP Stolen by:
Ross Vollmer
201 3rd Avenue
Andalusia, AL 36420
Phone: 970-324-0877
Potentially accompliced by and [potentially] knowing receipt of stolen goods by:
Dustin Gutkowski
Results Roofing
14856 Holly Leaf Dr.
Frisco, TX 75035
Phone: 214-505-1442
Baseline Client Value of Digital Asset Sites
Ares HR 1,500
TecabaTech 1,500
Pyrus Arms 750
Claimology 1000
X8 Default System 300,000+
Total Value of Stolen Assets: $304,750+
Notifications received around 8am CST Wednesday of new users (Ross Vollmer and [his brother] Ronnie Skinner) formerly contractors of X8 IT being added to multiple websites that Justin (Jay) Choquette was still the administrator contact for. These websites were migrated from X8 servers to Results Roofing controlled servers without the permission of X8 IT.
Stolen sites were migrated to:
3stage.rrdev.net – Ares HR $1,500 – stolen from 7stage.x8dev.net
4stage.rrdev.net – Tecaba Tech $1,500 – stolen from 19stage.x8dev.net
5stage.rrdev.net – Pyrus Arms $750 – stolen from 18stage.x8dev.net
6stage.rrdev.net – Claimology $1,000 – stolen from 10stage.x8dev.net
He [Ross Vollmer] also stole the primary X8 Trade Secrets Site System which is a core business asset and competitive advantage for X8 IT and placed it at 1default.rrdev.net and also at 2stage.rrdev.net
Stolen from 1default.x8dev.net
Valued at $300,000+ just from 2022 alone.
X8 Site system was also migrated to vollmerdigitalmedia.com (screenshots also attached) still showing the X8 branding and login URL at VollmerDigitalMedia.com/x8login
Stole all plugins along with the sites including the license keys and stock image licensing on all of these sites. Removed X8 branding.
Perpetrators continued to engage in theft and possession activities after receiving multiple cease and desist orders from Jay Choquette of X8 IT.
Each site contains thousands of dollars worth of plugin licenses on top of the site baseline monetary value
X8 logo is still visible on the site at 6stage.rrdev.net where they failed to remove it as well as VollmerDigitalMedia.com
These sites and IP were explicitly owned by X8 IT and neither of these individuals or their company “Results Roofing” “RR Marketing” or any variation thereof were granted approval to access and steal these assets.
Edited Note: Plaintiff intends to press charges with prejudice.
A Screenshot of Vollmer Digital Media’s login screen still showing the X8 logo that hadn’t been removed after stealing the site
Explanation of the Felony Charges against Ross Vollmer
Ross Vollmer has been arrested for two first-degree felony charges related to cybercrime. The charges include grand theft trade secrets and unauthorized access. To establish a case of grand theft trade secrets, the prosecution must demonstrate that Vollmer knowingly and intentionally misappropriated the trade secrets and that the rightful owner took reasonable measures to keep the information confidential. Unauthorized access, on the other hand, involves intentionally gaining access to a computer system, computer network, or electronic device without permission. If convicted, Vollmer could face significant fines and lengthy imprisonment.
First Degree Felony Grand Theft of Trade Secrets of Value Greater than $300,000
Grand Theft Trade secrets in Texas refers to the criminal offense of unlawfully acquiring or taking trade secrets with the intention to use them for personal gain or to benefit another individual or entity. In Texas, this offense is classified as a felony and is taken very seriously by the legal system. Trade secrets are defined as confidential and valuable information that gives a business a competitive advantage over its competitors.
Engaging in the theft of trade secrets can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. It is crucial for individuals and businesses to understand the legal implications and consequences associated with Grand Theft Trade secrets in Texas to ensure compliance with the law and protect intellectual property rights.
Another legal source in Texas also anonymously noted in their interpretation of the law:
Grand theft trade secrets in Texas refers to the unlawful acquisition, use, or disclosure of confidential business information with the intention to gain a competitive advantage or to harm the rightful owner. It is a serious offense under Texas law and is generally classified as a felony. The trade secrets protected under this statute include formulas, patterns, compilations, programs, devices, methods, techniques, or processes that derive independent economic value from not being generally known or readily ascertainable.
Violators can face severe penalties, including hefty fines and imprisonment. To establish a case of grand theft trade secrets, the prosecution must demonstrate that the accused knowingly and intentionally misappropriated the trade secrets and that the rightful owner took reasonable measures to keep the information confidential.
First Degree Felony Cybercrime – Unauthorized Access
The felony charge of unauthorized access against Ross Vollmer is a separate charge specifically relating to his access to X8 systems after his dismissal. After personally acknowledging that he was no longer intended to have access, he purportedly accessed X8 Web Design systems in order to steal multiple client websites and the X8 Design System. This purported act in itself, is a separate cybercrime not dissimilar to criminal trespassing in order to unlawfully acquire the sites and systems.
According to Cyber Security industry leader, BrightSec, their description of Unauthorized access reads as such:
“Unauthorized access is the process of gaining entry or access to a system, physical or electronic, without the permission of the owner or administrator. Such access can be obtained by bypassing security measures, exploiting system vulnerabilities or by using stolen credentials. Unauthorized access is a serious violation of privacy laws and can lead to severe consequences, including legal action.
In cybersecurity, unauthorized access refers to the breach of computer systems, networks or databases. These breaches generally involve hackers infiltrating the system to steal, alter, or destroy information. However, it’s important to note that unauthorized access isn’t limited to attacks by external hackers. It can also include an employee accessing files or information outside their level of authorization.
The increasingly prevalent threat of unauthorized access raises significant concerns about data security, privacy, and the integrity of digital systems. It poses a significant risk to individuals, corporations, and governments alike.”
Update Following the Charges Filed in the Felony Case against Ross Vollmer
Since the original charges were filed, Ross Vollmer appears to have been quite a busy man. He has since migrated many of the sites to other servers multiple times (presumably in effort to hide them). He has even since deleted most of them, whilst still maintaining multiple copies of the X8 default site system on his own sites at VollmerDigital.com and viewable as well at VollmerDigitalMedia.com even still as of the time of writing this article.
Immediately after his dismissal as a contractor from X8 Marketing’s team, per his public LinkedIn, Ross Vollmer listed himself as the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of the ancillary RR Marketing of Results Roofing (an X8 client). According to the complainant, this is believed to have been done with the support of Dustin Gutkowski, who is accused of conspiring with Ross to steal these systems. Mr. Vollmer also listed himself as the owner of his own web design company, VDX Marketing, as far back as October 2022, a full 6 months before his dismissal from X8 Web Design. Since the charges arose, Ross Vollmer has updated his Public LinkedIn to list himself as a Marketing Consultant for RR Marketing.
Update after the Felony Arrest of Ross Vollmer
Since his arrest, further details from X8 Web design, the prosecution, and Ross Vollmer’s attorney have been sparse due to the need to not further comment in regards to ongoing litigation. as of June, he has yet to have a trial date set. We will update this article once that information is obtained.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the charges against Ross Vollmer center around the fact that he was dismissed from X8 Web Design, prior to his accessing of multiple websites and their files, including the primary design system of X8. How this boils down in court will center around whether or not the prosecution can prove that he did so, that the rightful owners of the intellectual property took reasonable measures to protect said property, and the anticipated value not just of the design system itself and the websites in progress, but the lost income and damages to the plaintiff due to these actions.
Upon the indictment of Ross Vollmer for the charges, Jay Choquette issued a statement: “After my accident, it changed my heart in a lot of ways. Life is too short to hold a grudge against anyone. At the end of the day, I don’t hate Ross Vollmer for what he did.
Ross’s actions will be judged by the court and by God. That’s not for me to choose. I do, however, intend to be truthful about the facts in this case, so that the prosecution may hold this man accountable not just for these crimes, but the many other horrible things he has done to other people before me, and most likely after me as well. Somebody needed to stop this man from destroying the lives of others.
This is me standing up against someone who has dedicated his entire life to the manipulation of other people, particularly women, for his own personal benefit and then discarding them when he feels they have served their purpose. People are not tools to be used at your will. They are people, and they deserve to be treated as such.”
Disclaimer
In conclusion, this article intends to effectively highlight the felony case against Ross Vollmer, and the complexities surrounding the legal process, emphasizing the critical principle that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This foundational concept not only upholds the integrity of the justice system but also ensures that every individual is afforded the opportunity for a fair trial.
As we navigate discussions about legal cases, it is imperative to remember that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution, and the rights of defendants must be respected throughout the judicial process. Thus, fostering a society that values justice requires a commitment to honoring this principle, ensuring that fairness prevails in every legal proceeding.