Computer Crimes in Arkansas
Arkansas Computer Crimes Lawyer
With advances in technology in our society, computer crimes have become more common, and their penalties are getting more serious. Computer-related crimes can happen in both business and personal settings, and can involve children, teens, and adults of all ages. If you’ve been charged with one of these offenses, talk to an Arkansas criminal attorney today.
Some computer crimes are committed for money. These include computer fraud and computer trespass. These are essentially hacking laws, and they make it a crime to access a computer system with intent to defraud or to obtain money or services under false pretenses. Depending on the amount of damage (usually money lost), these offenses can range from low-level misdemeanors to as high as felonies carrying up to six years.
Other Arkansas computer crimes are of a personal nature, between people who know each other. Perhaps they go to school or work together, or used to date each other. Here I’m talking about stalking related crimes. Unlawful computerized communications is one such offense, committed with the purpose to frighten, intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass another person through emails. In those emails the individual must threaten physical injury or use obscene, lewd, or profane language. Unlawful computerized communications in Arkansas is a Class A misdemeanor carrying up to a year of punishment.
There are also computer crimes against minors, including computer exploitation and possession of child pornography. These are extremely serious offenses that carry significant prison sentences if convicted. They can include the following:
• Distributing, possessing, or viewing pictures or videos that show sexually explicit conduct involving a child;
• Computer child pornography;
• Failure to report computer child pornography; and
• Computer exploitation of a child
You should talk to an Arkansas computer sex crimes lawyer right away if you’re charged with one of these offenses. You could be looking at a long jail sentence and permanent registration on the sex offender list if convicted. But there may be defenses to these charges. Perhaps it cannot be proved that you possessed the necessary intent to commit the crime, or that the individual shown in the content was actually an adult and not a child.
Patrick Stegall is a computer crimes lawyer for Arkansas. He handles cases in West Memphis, Wynne, Forrest City, Marion, and other parts of East Arkansas.
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