A former Ramsey County data analyst who called himself "Mr. Movies" pirated movies and in a seemingly unrelated matter, also divulged private data about welfare recipients, according to charges filed Tuesday.

Charles H. Lyght, 52, of St. Paul, was charged in Ramsey County District Court with one count each of unlawful sales of recordings, unlawful identity of transferor and unlawful disclosure of private data.

Lyght was a data analyst with the Ramsey County Community Human Services Department. He started with the county in 2010, and was placed on paid administrative leave on May 14, 2015 after the department received an anonymous tip that he was releasing private welfare data. He resigned on June 14.

According to the criminal complaint, Lyght shared private welfare data — names, dates of birth, addresses and social security numbers, among other information — more than 10 times between May 2013 and April 2015 with a woman believed to be his girlfriend.

In one instance, Lyght allegedly sent the woman a screenshot of private data and wrote, "I'm not sending case notes … Dangerous …"

The charges did not specify the motives for each incident, but noted in one case that Lyght's apparent girlfriend was going to use the information to get her "cut" of funds from the recipient, and that in another, she was going to help misrepresent the recipient's inflated rent in exchange for some food stamp benefits.

A Ramsey County attorney investigator looking into the breach of data reviewed Lyght's computer and e-mails, and discovered that he was also downloading copyrighted movies from the Internet, burning them onto DVDs and selling them to friends and co-workers, the charges said.

Lyght allegedly sent an e-mail to someone in 2015 with a list of movies available for purchase.

"Shhhhhhhhhh I'm also Mr. Movies … and I mean Blockbuster quality or I wouldn't even be telling you whats (sic) up … After all, I'm a Data Analyst for crying out loud!" the complaint quoted the e-mail saying. "Lol …"

"Needless to say only a select few know about this so it don't get spread to the wrong ears … But I have them on me everday … (sic) Just an fyi for ya …"

Authorities searched Lyght's home in June 2015 and seized several computers and more than 700 DVDs, about 150 of which containing copyrighted movies.

Lyght declined a police interview on the day of the search.

Lyght was charged via summons, meaning he will have an opportunity to turn himself into authorities at a later date.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708

Twitter: @ChaoStrib