Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Lawyer

Computer crimes are serious offenses in Pennsylvania that frequently involve lengthy investigations and utilize many police resources, the end result of which is zealous criminal prosecutions. The prosecution and the law enforcement agencies handling these cases are committed to holding computer crime offenders accountable for the damage they caused not only to the victim, but also to society as a whole. If convicted, people charged with a computer crime face very serious penalties. 

When people use a computer to commit a crime they are often caught as a part of a police “sting.” The most publicized example of this is when someone goes into a chat room and attempts to strike up a relationship with another person – often a juvenile – and set up a meeting. In many cases, however, the person is actually talking to a police officer. Police then meet the person at the arranged time and place and make the arrest.  Other common examples of computer crimes involve credit card fraud, hacking and cyber stalking.

In order to convict an individual of a crime involving a computer, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a specific computer was used to commit the crime and that the defendant was the one who actually used that computer to commit a crime.  Although police investigators have ways of tracking criminal activity over the internet, their methods are not fool proof and there are always opportunities to prove that the defendant was not the one participating in criminal activity. 

When speaking with an attorney about criminal charges involving a computer, it helps to have an attorney whose experience with computers is more than just knowing how to turn it on. You will need an attorney who knows how to speak the language of forensic computer analysis because this is the key to defending your case.  Not only do I understand computer crimes in Pennsylvania, I also understand the forensic analysis of computers.

If you have been arrested for a crime involving a computer or the Internet, are the target of an investigation, or even think that you might be the target of an investigation, the time to contact an attorney is now.  It is never too soon to have an attorney in your corner, standing by your side and defending your rights.  Please call me today for a free consultation at 412-429-4360, send me an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact me through this website.

Examples of crimes committed with computers include:

• Credit Card Theft/Fraud
• Identity Theft/Fraud
• Hacking
• Spamming, Phishing, Spoofing
• Creating a virus
• Internet fraud schemes and scams
• Cyber stalking
• Selling counterfeit goods over the Internet
• Piracy
• Planting spyware
• Soliciting or enticing a minor