Sam Tunick faces prosecution for using a 'duress password' to wipe his smartphone during a federal interrogation.
The US Department of Justice is prosecuting Sam Tunick for allegedly destroying property to prevent its seizure by federal agents. During a January 2024 interrogation at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport, agents attempted to seize Tunick’s smartphone to search for child exploitation images. However, Tunick used a 'duress password' feature of the GrapheneOS operating system to wipe all personal data on his device, effectively preventing the authorities from viewing its contents. While the government argues that Tunick acted to obstruct the search, his defense team claims the interrogation was a pretext for a fishing expedition into his connections to the Cop City movement. They argue that the detention was unlawful because agents failed to provide a warrant or allow Tunick access to a lawyer. The case highlights a growing debate over whether privacy-focused technology should be criminalized. A judge will rule on the motion to suppress evidence by October 2026.