Republican Sen. John McCain's mention of the Toledo-area man during a presidential debate ultimately led to the downfall of an Ohio cabinet director for snooping in state computers for confidential information on "Joe."

Nearly a year later, a former contractor for the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police has been charged with rummaging through a police computer network to retrieve personal information about Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher.

Brett A. Gerke, 52, of 2329 Woodcreek Place on the Far North Side, is charged with attempted unauthorized use of property, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Gerke entered a diversion program Oct. 2, which typically results in the dismissal of a criminal charge. He has not entered a plea.

The State Highway Patrol says that Gerke used a law-enforcement computer network Oct. 16, 2008, to search for information on Wurzelbacher.

The man was popularized as "Joe the Plumber" by McCain in a debate with Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Oct. 15. Wurzelbacher had been videotaped earlier questioning Obama about his policies.

Gerke was project manager in the development of the Ohio Local Law Enforcement Information Sharing Network, working on the project between 2004 and 2008 as a contractor for the police chiefs' association.

Gerke used a test account and password he received to work on the project to search for information on Wurzelbacher and others, authorities say.

He was working as a contractor for the Ohio Department of Insurance at the time of the computer checks. Gerke's attorney, Joseph Scott of Columbus, would not comment on the case.

The Dispatch revealed several questionable checks of state computer systems for confidential information about Wurzelbacher.

Helen Jones-Kelley, then director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, authorized several computer checks on Wurzelbacher that the state inspector general concluded had no legal purpose.

Jones-Kelley, who was suspended by Gov. Ted Strickland after The Dispatch also revealed that she used her state e-mail account to raise money for Obama, later resigned. Two of her top aides also lost their jobs.

rludlow@dispatch.com