Computer Crimes on the Rise
We are seeing an interesting trend in Utah: people are hacking into their employer’s, partner’s, friend’s, ex-lover’s, ex-spouse’s Facebook accounts, email accounts, and other social media outlets in an effort to get revenge on them. In doing so they rarely realize that what they are doing is illegal and has serious consequences. Most people are lucky because they get away with it, mainly because the ex decides not to report it to law enforcement. For those who are not so lucky, they may have to deal with police, courts, fine, and even jail.
Unauthorized Access of Another’s Email and Social Media Can Be A Felony
Utah makes it illegal to access or attempt to access another’s computer, computer software, computer data, etc. or he otherwise modifies, damages, destroys, or discloses such computer data can be charged with as low as a class B misdemeanor or as high as a second degree felony. The degree of crime all depends on how much damage was caused by the unauthorized access. Anything over $5,000 in damages is a second degree felony; anything less than $500 is a class B misdemeanor.
For example, let’s say that you work in an office and you have been given access to the company’s Facebook page. You get fired by a boss who has been nothing but disrespectful to you. You get home and in a fit of anger login to the company’s Facebook page and post something to embarrass that boss. The boss doesn’t like it and calls the police. Now not only are you having to deal with having lost your job you have the police knocking on your door wanting to ask you some questions. The evidence stacks up against you and now you have felony charges against you for computer crimes, you get arrested, booked into jail, have to make bail, and now you have to go to court to defend against the charges.
We one of the few firms that actually has significant experience in this realm of the law so give us a call for a free consultation if you have been charged with a computer crime.
