Internet crimes are strange compared to traditional categories of crimes. There is no specific set of crimes that is included under the title of “internet crimes,” but rather any crime that uses a computer or the internet is often included as a type of “internet crime.” The penalties for these crimes are often as severe as or more severe than other “traditional crimes,” meaning that these charges are taken very seriously in the court of law.
If you were charged with a crime involving a computer or internet usage in New Jersey, call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych today. Our New Jersey internet crimes defense attorneys represent those charged with state or federal internet crimes in New Jersey and work to get charges dropped and dismissed and penalties reduced. To schedule a free legal consultation on your case, call our law offices at (609) 616-4956.
New Jersey Internet and Cyber Crime Examples
As mentioned, internet crimes are not a particular set of crimes. However, there are two major areas of crimes that are included under the umbrella of “internet crimes”:
- New crimes that did not exist until computers and new technology existed
- Traditional crimes committed in new ways with new technology
The law and courts are notoriously slow to adapt and change, but over the past few decades, lawmakers have introduced new statutes to cover new harms that the internet has created the opportunity for, such as hacking offenses. Other internet crimes are traditional criminal offenses that have existed for a long time, but the way that they are committed using computers and the internet makes them essentially different offenses.
There are dozens of internet crimes and many more crimes that could be considered “internet crimes” if they are committed with the use of a computer and an internet connection. The following are all crimes that are commonly thought of as examples of these “internet crimes”:
- Hacking offenses – Most hacking crimes are committed over the internet to gain access to accounts and computer systems for various reasons.
- Theft – Along with hacking, many internet crimes involve theft of money or other information.
- Identity theft – Separate from traditional theft, identity theft has become a serious issue in the 21st Century, since so much of our information is online.
- Child pornography – Crimes involving the creation, spread, and possession of child pornography account for a large number of internet crime charges each year.
- Phishing – Soliciting information through fraud and other deceitful tactics is often a part of identity theft or credit card theft scams.
- Cyberstalking – Using the internet to track someone or continually contact them can be a serious offense.
- Cyber harassment – New Jersey has a separate harassment statute to cover cyber harassment, as opposed to traditional harassment.
Fighting Charges for Internet Crimes in New Jersey
An experienced criminal defense lawyer can help you with your internet or cyber crime charges. There are important steps in your criminal case where it is vital to have an attorney at your side to guide you through the process, challenge evidence and testimony against you, and fight to get your charges and penalties reduced:
Initial Appearance and Preliminary Hearing
At your first court appearance, you may have the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges. Without a lawyer, you may feel undue pressure to plead guilty to the charges and get the case done with. Our attorneys can help guide you through a “not guilty” plea. If you are charged with a high-level crime, you may also have the opportunity to begin examining and challenging the evidence and testimony against you in a preliminary hearing, which your attorney can represent you through.
Plea Bargaining
On TV and in many real-life criminal cases, prosecutors offer “plea deals” to the defendant. These deals may involve reduced sentences or reduced charges in exchange for a guilty plea. Before pleading guilty to any crime, you should understand the consequences and repercussions of the plea and how it will affect your life going forward. You should also never expect a plea to be offered – your attorney may have to fight and negotiate to get you a plea deal, or the government may simply refuse to offer a plea deal.
Trial
If your case goes to trial, you will have the opportunity to cross-examine the government’s witnesses and evidence as well as the chance to present your own evidence in your defense. This is your chance to have your lawyer fight your case in front of a neutral jury and work to get you acquitted of your charges.
Sentencing
If you are convicted, you still have a chance to reduce the penalties. For many offenses, the penalties listed in the statute are unreasonable for the conduct actually committed. Our attorneys can help fight for sentences that involve little to no jail time, potentially ending your case with probation only. In many internet crime and computer crime cases, your penalties may involve limited access to computers or internet connections, which our lawyers can help you fight.
Appeals
If an error in a legal ruling admitted illegal evidence or unfair evidence, our attorneys can appeal your case to have your conviction overturned. In addition, we can fight any other legal errors that tainted your case’s fairness or justice.
New Jersey Internet Crime Lawyer Offering Free Legal Consultations
If you were arrested for a crime involving a computer or internet access, call the New Jersey internet crime lawyers at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych today. Our attorneys can help fight to have your charges reduced and dismissed and work toward reduced penalties that avoid jail time. To schedule your free legal consultation, call our law offices today at (609) 616-4956.
