Pittsburgh Internet Crime Lawyer
More and more, internet crimes have become the focus of overly ambitious investigators and prosecutors in Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania. Many people who are arrested for internet crimes feel hopeless and convinced that they are alone in the criminal justice system. Internet crimes attorney Gary Gerson is there for those people. As a Pittsburgh internet crime lawyer who has been practicing in the region for more than two decades, Attorney Gerson understands that convictions are not easily attainable if reasonable doubt is present. It is, in fact, highly unlikely that those who wish to prosecute the accused will be able to definitively prove who was using the computer at the time the alleged crime occurred, and whether or not the law was even deliberately broken to begin with.
Crimes from Identity Theft to Child Pornography
At the Law Office of Gary E. Gerson, we defend people charged with committing computer-related crimes from child pornography to identify theft, to the release of destructive computer viruses. As your Pittsburgh internet crimes lawyer, Mr. Gerson consults forensic computer experts and investigators to evaluate and challenge the allegations and evidence of prosecutors. We also identify questionable actions on the part of investigators and prosecutors in regard to obtaining and executing search warrants, conducting wiretaps, and recovering computer files from seized hard drives.
Free Initial Consultation
If you’ve been charged in a computer-related crime, contact internet crime attorney Gary E. Gerson today and schedule a free, confidential consultation to discuss your case.
The Law Offices of Gary E. Gerson represents clients charged with committing the following kinds of internet-related crime:
- Hacking
- Fraud
- Release of malicious spyware or destructive viruses
- Identity theft
- Online solicitation of a minor
- Transmitting child pornography
- Child pornography
- Federal Computer Crimes
Federal computer crimes often involve months of investigation on the part of federal authorities. Consequently, federal investigators usually amass a great deal of evidence against the accused before an arrest is made. In non-federal cases, investigators do not always have the resources or manpower to conduct a long lasting, thorough investigation.
In both, however, records and information from internet service providers (ISPs) are usually subpoenaed in order to determine when you were online, for how long, what websites were visited, and what email activity occurred. Additionally, a warrant will be obtained in order to seize your hard drive and conduct an analysis of its contents.
Internet Chat Rooms
Specialized investigative groups who work for state and federal governments embed themselves in internet chat rooms and pose as minors in an attempt to lure adults who download and distribute child pornography. Often times, these investigators will request images of persons under the age of 18 who are posing in the nude, or performing sexual acts by first engaging in chat room conversation of a carnal nature. Some investigators even go as far as to solicit sexual favors via these chat rooms. As authorities are doing this, they are tracking the ISP address of the person on the other end of the chat. With a legitimate ISP address, investigators are able to obtain a physical address and begin an investigation. Pittsburgh internet crime lawyer Gary Gerson represents people who have been arrested, charged, or who are under investigation of chat room luring and soliciting a minor for sexual acts in a chat room. These are sensitive cases with many nuances and people who have been arrested for these types of crimes often feel helpless, ashamed, and that their lives are crumbling down around them. However, Attorney Gerson diligently works to help those people by immediately intervening for his clients in an effort to limit and contain the investigation. Mr. Gerson uses his over 25 years as a lawyer in Pennsylvania to prevent investigators and prosecutors from exercising carte blanche and making an arrest simply on overinflated and embellished charges.
Internet Solicitation of a Minor
If you have been arrested and are currently facing charges for internet solicitation of a minor, then it is imperative that you secure an experienced internet chat room lawyer who will work to keep you safe at all costs. Call attorney Gary Gerson today at 412-281-2280 for a free preliminary consultation and speak to someone at our office in full confidence. Know that everything you say, whether you think it’s incriminating or not, is completely protected under the attorney-client privilege. Attorney Gerson’s empathy and unbiasedness of all situations before the facts is what has made him such a successful Pittsburgh criminal lawyer and why his clients overwhelmingly recommend him to their family, friends, and coworkers.
Federal Investigations
Federal investigations of people who are assumed to be involved in internet chat room luring and other internet sex crimes tend to go on for several months, or even years, as evidence is being collected. Generally, a warrant is obtained in order to legally monitor a suspect’s email accounts, screen names, and other online activity. In addition, detectives have the ability to archive transcripts of online conversations, so as to be used as evidence during a potential trial.
If the suspect makes any attempt to schedule a meeting with whom he or she believes to be underage, police have the authority to surveil the meeting place and set up audio, video, and photographic recording devices to be used upon the suspect’s arrival. If the suspect shows, then, regardless of what happens during the meeting, investigators are generally able to obtain a search warrant and seize the suspect’s mobile phone, computer hard drive, thumb drive, and any other device they think may contain incriminating evidence.
Defending Those Charged
Investigators and detectives who pretend to be minors in an effort to lure suspects use questionable practices that may be considered borderline entrapment. Courts in the past have upheld police officers’ dubious practices of posing as minors and criminals in an effort to conduct a sting operation. That fine line between finding criminal activity and promoting it is often crossed, but is overlooked due to the stigma surrounding the alleged crimes. But internet chat room attorney Gary Gerson is there for his clients to point out these questionable practices and reconfirm to those who work within the criminal justice system that there must be indisputable evidence to prove intent.
What many outside of the realm of internet solicitation tend to forget is that people who are themselves victims of sexual assault are likely to find distorted comfort due to psychological and medical reasons in what others consider repulsive behavior. Although your specific circumstances may not necessarily reduce or dismiss the charges against you, Attorney Gary Gerson will tirelessly work to coordinate with psychiatrists and experts in the field to aid in your defense.
Fighting for the Best Outcome for Our Clients
Internet chat room crimes are considered serious criminal offenses in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. While it may not be possible to avoid a conviction, reducing the sentence or charges against you is essential. As your attorney, Gary E. Gerson explains the best options available to you in order to fight for the best outcome in your case.
Providing a Strong Defense
In order to convict someone charged with committing an internet crime, the prosecution must prove the person charged actually committed the crime with intent and purpose. In certain situations, however, it may be unclear if the accused was actually responsible for intentionally transmitting a virus, uploading pornography, or hacking into a restricted site. As your defense attorney, Mr. Gerson examines assumptions on the part of prosecutors that involve only circumstantial evidence or contradictory facts.
In cases where guilt is not in question, Mr. Gerson is prepared to negotiate a plea bargain that can often lead to a reduction in charges and sentencing against our clients.
Contact an Experienced Pittsburgh Internet Crime Lawyer Today
To schedule a free, completely confidential consultation protected by the attorney-client privilege, contact The Law Offices of Gary E. Gerson today at 412-219-6875.
