Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

The numbers are staggering -- corporations and consumers spend tens of billions of dollars on security and cyber attacks each year, including the amount companies must pay consumers for not protecting their information.

Because nearly anything a consumer could want is available online or by a mobile device, more and more attention is being paid to attacks via the Internet or networks that contain sensitive information.

But what is happening with increasing frequency is that some law enforcement officers -- trained in how to spot a burglary or interrogate a sex-crime suspect for example -- lack the ability to grasp the complex world of Los Angeles computer crimes. Many are not totally up to date on the complexities of online fraud, yet they are tasked with comprehending the intricate nature of computer networks, malware, cyberspying and other commonly used tactics in an investigation for cybercrime.

When they attempt to make an arrest, officers must have shown that the people they are arresting were responsible for the crime. With the detail-oriented world of computer crimes, this isn't so easy.

Cyber criminals hide behind fake names, attached to fake IP addresses and shadow computers. They can install viruses on people's phones and computers that allow them access and make it seem as if that user is committing a crime, when they have no idea they are being used.

This isn't as simple as a burglar being caught in the act or an assault witnessed by a dozen people at a bar. Times are much more sophisticated these days.

Take a recent article from ABC News. In it, the author reports that cyber criminals are using Facebook, mobile phones and other popular tools in order to steal from consumers.

For those who have online "credits," either through websites or their phones, hackers are increasingly able to steal those away through crafty programs. And if people download fake applications to their phones or open e-mails that contain viruses that steal a person's phone number, a hacker can add small amounts of charges to a person's monthly phone bill and get the money.

Many people don't pay close enough attention to their bill to notice or if the amount is small enough, they might not bother with the effort of going through customer service to try to get a refund.

This is how cyber criminals are making their money, but stopping it is a whole different story. But some officers are woefully inadequate in their training and ability to step in and correctly identify a cyber criminal. This is one reason these thieves are "successful."

While no one would support cyber criminals and their efforts, I think every citizen would support police arresting the right criminals and not those who are falsely accused. When dealing with cybercrime, police must be vigilant, but they also must be right. When they aren't, Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers will be standing there fighting back.

Continue reading "Hackers Targeting Facebook, Mobile Phones in Los Angeles Cyber Crimes" »

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents recently raided homes throughout the country, including Southern California, in response to a large-scale cyber attack on the payment company PayPal, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Cyber crimes can be extremely difficult to prove because they involve networks of computers and online-based activity. Such cases require law enforcement officers to not only spot a crime, but then track back through closed and open networks where the criminal activity originated. Because of the complexity, an experienced Los Angeles Cyber Crimes Lawyer should be consulted immediately.

This case dates to last fall when PayPal Inc., a web-based company that allows transfers of money between individuals and businesses, was attacked by a hacker group, rendering its website useless.

Members of a hacker group called Anonymous took credit for the attack, brought on because the company created a policy refusing to allow people to donate to the website WikiLeaks, run by Julian Assange, after it began releasing classified information to the public, including classified cables from the U.S. Department of State regarding foreign dignitaries.

The PayPal policy change was a big hit to WikiLeaks, which gets a lot of support from online-based donations. The hackers also allegedly attacked Visa, MasterCard and Amazon.com as part of "Operation Avenge Assange," the newspaper reports.

Considered political protest, federal authorities also consider it a crime. Law enforcement agencies tend to target hackers based on the amount of financial havoc wreaked or the potential risk to national security, the newspaper states. Alleged Anonymous members in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico and Ohio were arrested. They range in age from 20 to 42.

Some consider the recent raid the largest conducted by the FBI regarding cyber crimes related to political protest. Thirty two people, allegedly members of the hacking group Anonymous, were arrested in Turkey earlier this year.

While cyber crimes are relatively new to the criminal justice system, federal authorities have been more aggressive in their approach to these web-based crimes. As evidenced by this case, agents have been working since last fall after responding to the PayPal strike.

These cases are complex for law enforcement agents, but they are also complex for defense attorneys, so hiring a lawyer with experience in cyber crimes and the federal court system is important. A law firm that is able to consult with experts to prove the innocence of a defendant is crucial, too.

Lawmakers are beginning to catch up and penalties are increasing. Someone convicted of obtaining information through a computer for the purpose of being used "to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation" can face up to 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, there were more than 300,000 complaints of web-based crimes in 2010 and California led the nation in the percentage of perpetrators from the same state as the complainant, at 39.1 percent.

The number of complaints out of California was 13.7 percent, also tops in the nation, which shows that is a particularly large problem here. it also shows that law enforcement throughout California is on high alert and sometimes get the charges wrong. Trust an aggressive Los Angeles Cyber Crimes Defense Attorney to help protect your rights.

Continue reading "FBI Raids Southern California, Nation in Arrests of Alleged Internet Hackers" »

Sixteen men are facing federal charges in Los Angeles and elsewhere after the Federal Bureau of Investigation broke up what it says was an online child pornography ring, the New York Times reported.

An L.A. Internet Crimes Defense Attorney should always be called to represent a defendant facing child pornography charges involving online images of minors. As we wrote recently on our L.A. Criminal Defense Blog, few crimes carry the stigma associated with sex crimes against children.

Job loss, loss of reputation, strained or broken relationships with friends or family, and the prospect of being registered as a registered sex offender await those who are convicted. Strict limitations as conditions of probation or parole, including restricted or forbidden access to the Internet, public parks and areas known to be frequented by children, can severely impede your future freedom and movement. Unfortunately, a suspect will frequently talk to investigators with the hopes of avoiding charges. Detectives know this and use it to their advantage.

If you have been approached for questioning, you are very likely to be charged. Please consult an experienced criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles immediately. Too often, the best evidence against a defendant is his or her own words during interview or interrogation.

Additionally, federal charges should always be handled by a defense lawyer experienced in federal court, where the rules and laws are much different than state court. Child pornography on the Internet is frequently prosecuted in federal court because the allegations often cross state and national boundaries. The charges can be very serious because each image is often charged as its own offense, leading to dozens or even hundreds of felony charges for the same alleged behavior.

In this case, the government alleges the scope of the child pornography ring included defendants in the United States, South America, Europe and New Zealand. A tip from Europe in 2008 prompted the investigation. Five of 16 suspects in the United States have already pleaded guilty. Some of the network's 35 members remain unidentified. Those convicted in U.S. federal court face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Continue reading "Federal Internet Crimes require aggressive, experienced defense in Los Angeles" »

An elementary school teacher is facing child pornography charges in Los Angeles, the Times reported.

Such charges can be devastating. Job loss, loss of reputation and the estrangement of friends and family frequently result. More than many other types of charges, you are deemed guilty until proven innocent and a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney will need to move aggressively on all fronts in the fight for your freedom and your reputation.

Additionally, the consequences of sex-offender registration can haunt you for years to come, requiring that you register with authorities or face additional legal problems, and in some cases even requiring that your neighbors be individually notified of your presence in the community.

In this case, the 53-year-old Carson elementary teacher is accused of posting and distributing pornography over the Internet and has been placed on unpaid leave as he faces the charges in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The advent of the Internet has seen an explosion in such crimes. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that more computer crimes originate in California and Florida than anywhere else in the nation. When it comes to child pornography, there have been documented cases of computer viruses and file-sharing networks being responsible for the presences of illicit images on a computer. Additionally, other users, including teenagers, may have been responsible for images found on a homeowner's computer.

The L.A. Unified's Dominguez Elementary teacher was home when a search warrant was served on his computer. Police say he admitted to downloading and viewing images of child pornography. Police seized several computers and DVDs from the residence.

He is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one county of child pornography.

A defendant facing charges involving sex crimes in L.A. or the surrounding area should not speak to investigators and should instead seek out the assistance of an experienced defense attorney as soon as possible -- even before charges are filed. Whether the defendant made an admission in this case will be for the court to decide, certainly whatever statement he did make is being characterized by law enforcement as a confession.

Exercising your right to remain silent is a good first step toward building a defense.

Continue reading "School teacher charged with computer crimes, child pornography in Los Angeles" »

Two men are facing credit card fraud charges in Riverside County after being accused of using fraudulent credit cards at four casinos, the Orange County Register reported.

The men, ages 42 and 27, were arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of fraud and burglary. Both are on parole and one is reportedly a previously deported felon. They were both being held in Indio Jail. Both men were allegedly recorded withdrawing large amounts of cash at a Rancho Mirage Casino after authorities arrived in response to a call from Nordstrom Visa. Authorities say they were arrested trying to make a cash withdraw at an Indio casino and are believed to have attempted to use the credit cards at two other casinos.

ATMs and the Internet have led to a host of fraud, identity theft, credit card theft and Internet fraud charges in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California. These are often complex criminal cases and should always be handled by a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer experienced with handling financial crimes and criminal cases in federal court.

Police say the men were using cards with their names printed on them and fake account information. Police reportedly found equipment used to make counterfeit cards, along with fake identification, in a search of one of the defendant's houses in San Juan Capistrano.

An experienced defense lawyer may also challenge the legality of such a search. In cases where illegal search and seizure can be proven to have resulted in the collection of evidence, such evidence is frequently thrown out of court. In such cases, a reduction or dismissal of the charges often results.

Continue reading "Los Angeles arrest alleges credit card fraud charges in Southern California" »

A Palos Verdes Estates man is facing charges for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old girl after posing as a teenager on the Internet, ABC7 reported.

So far, he faces a federal charge in Los Angeles of using the Internet to induce a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, the Daily Breeze reports. He could also face felony state charges involving sex with a minor, according to the newspaper. Statutory rape charges in Los Angeles can be filed for cases involving sexual intercourse with a teenager age 14 to 18. It can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony and is punishable by up to one year in the county jail or up to 4 years in prison.

This is also frequently referred to as unlawful sex with a minor.

Authorities say the 24-year-old defendant used multiple identities on MySpace in the commission of the alleged crimes. The investigation started in August when the Palos Verdes Estates police were told by a relative that a 14-year-old girl had sex with the defendant in her home, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was subsequently called in to assist with the case.

Computer crimes in L.A. and the surrounding area are increasingly common and always require the representation of an experienced criminal defense lawyer. In cases where an officer is posing online as a potential victim, entrapment and other issues frequently arise. In cases involving Internet child pornography, a computer owner is often an unwitting victim. Other users may be responsible for the content. In other cases a computer virus or a third-party may have downloaded or stored illicit content on your computer. Charges involving file-sharing sites are common and child pornographers have been known to store material on the computer of an unsuspecting user.

Continue reading "Federal computer charges in Los Angeles allege man used Internet to find teens for sex " »