Crime Finds A Way: Cyber Crimes Tick Up, And So Does Law Enforcement Activity
Do you remember the scene in Jurassic Park where the park employees are arguing that they have complete control over the number of dinosaurs in the park because they only hatch females? The visiting scientists are skeptical, and Jeff Goldblum’s character says, “Life, uh, finds a way.” He is soon proven right. Dinosaurs are more difficult to control than your typical zoo animal.
A similar thing is happening during this coronavirus pandemic. Experts predicted that we would see a huge drop in crime while people are stuck in their homes avoiding the virus. But crime finds a way. Here in South Florida, there has been a huge increase in the number of cyber crimes reported, and a corresponding uptick in law enforcement activity in this area.
The Valiente, Carollo and McElligott PLLC team has years of experience defending Miami area residents accused of cyber crimes.
White Collar Crimes
The government has been cracking down especially hard on white collar cyber crime during the coronavirus outbreak. After utterly failing to stop the spread of the virus, they are determined to show the public they are doing something, so they are making a big production out of busting people for healthcare fraud, identity theft, and credit card fraud.
As usual, the government’s investigation and enforcement techniques are heavy-handed. The Valiente, Carollo and McElligott PLLC team often discovers that the police did not have probable cause, lacked a warrant, or otherwise violated the Constitutional rights of our clients.
We have also been effective at proving that our clients lacked the requisite intent to commit the offense they have been charged with. This is a necessary element of the government’s case, so negating it by showing that you did not know, or were not capable of knowing, that you had committed a white collar crime is a good way to clear your name. Finally, if law enforcement agents induced you to commit fraud, we may be able to assert an entrapment defense — stating that you were persuaded to commit a white-collar crime that you would not have committed without law enforcement interference.
Sex Crimes
We have also seen an uptick in the number of people in our corner of the Sunshine state being accused on online sex crimes, specifically child pornography.
Possessing, producing, distributing, selling or purchasing, transporting or electronically transmitting any visual, sexual depiction of a minor is a child pornography offense. Just having the prohibited material in your possession is a crime – even if you did not know or intend to possess it. The punishment for possession of child pornography is based on the number of images or videos you have, so the more you have, the stiffer the penalty.
Once again, the go-to defensive maneuver in these cases is attacking sloppy policing that violates the accused’s Constitutional rights.
Trust Us To Protect Your Future
The experienced attorneys at Valiente, Carollo and McElligott PLLC have been defending the rights of Miami area residents accused of cyber crimes, including white collar crimes and sex crimes, for years. We are not intimidated by digital evidence, or by law enforcement officials flexing their power. We believe every defendant deserves the chance to tell their story and have their Constitutional rights protected. If you have been charged with a cyber crime, and you don’t know where to turn for help, please contact our office to schedule a free meeting and case evaluation.
Posted in: Criminal