In local legal news, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts has announced that a New Bedford man has agreed to plead guilty two charges of computer intrusion and one count of access device fraud.  This is a story which, at first blush, the prosecution does not seem to fit the crime.  The headline of the article states that the Man who Hacked Bristol County Community College to Change his grades is to plead guilty to federal hacking charges.  It appears to be a minor case for the U.S. Attorney to be concerned with bringing federal hacking charges.  However, as you dig deeper into the story you will see that not only did the Defendant change his grades, but he also hacked the email of a local police chief and stole credit card data from more than 14,000 account holders.  Certainly, hacking into a computer system to steal the account information of 14,000 users will catch the eye of the local U.S. Attorney.

Federal Hacking Charges on the Rise

It seems as though the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI are becoming more sophisticated and interested in investigating and prosecuting cases of electronic intrusion and hacking.  In addition to the story above, there have been other stories and I have received a few calls from individuals seeking assistance with either hacking related charges or hacking related investigations within the Rhode Island area.  These cases require a high degree of sophisticated technology and knowledge and therefore are typically only brought by the federal agencies.

Defense for Hacking Charges in the Rhode Island Federal District Court

If you have been charged or are being investigated for hacking related charges in the Rhode Island area, contact the Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc. for aggressive defense of federal criminal charges.  With our knowledge and experience, we can put you in the best position to defend yourself and protect your rights from any federal prosecution or investigation.  Whatever you do, always speak with an attorney before speaking with the authorities or providing them with information.  If you do provide information to the authorities, you run the risk of either (1) incriminating yourself and providing the authorities with information to use in your prosecution or (2) getting yourself charged with federal obstruction charges (the same charges that sent Martha Stewart to federal prison).  Be careful.  Always talk to an attorney before speaking with investigators.