In Virginia, identity theft is a serious criminal accusation. The charges associated with identity theft include both felonies and misdemeanors.  When you are charged with identity theft related to your Internet activities you need an effective criminal defense attorney who is also experienced in technology.  Internet identity theft charges include assuming the identity of another, identity fraud, online forgery, access device fraud, credit card fraud, transmission and trafficking in private information and social security numbers, online bank fraud, Internet insurance fraud, and money laundering through the Internet.

If you are accused of Internet identity theft, our team of successful attorneys, Internet technical professional, and Computer Engineers can provide you with Internet identity theft defense.

In the Federal Courts, including the Eastern District of Virginia’s Richmond, Norfolk, and Newport News Divisions, a conviction for identity theft, when charged and convicted as aggravated identity theft, carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison.  Identity theft may carry up to 30 yars in prison.  The most relevant federal identity theft statutes are:

28 USC 1028 – Fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents, authentication features, and information

28 USC 1028A – Aggravated Identity Theft

28 U.S.C. 1028

(a) Whoever, in a circumstance described in subsection (c) of this section – (1) knowingly and without lawful authority produces an identification document, authentication feature, or a false identification document; (2) knowingly transfers an identification document, authentication feature, or a false identification document knowing that such document or feature was stolen or produced without lawful authority; (3) knowingly possesses with intent to use unlawfully or transfer unlawfully five or more identification documents (other than those issued lawfully for the use of the possessor), authentication features, or false identification documents; (4) knowingly possesses an identification document (other than one issued lawfully for the use of the possessor), authentication feature, or a false identification document, with the intent such document or feature be used to defraud the United States; (5) knowingly produces, transfers, or possesses a document-making implement or authentication feature with the intent such document-making implement or authentication feature will be used in the production of a false identification document or another document-making implement or authentication feature which will be so used; (6) knowingly possesses an identification document or authentication feature that is or appears to be an identification document or authentication feature of the United States which is stolen or produced without lawful authority knowing that such document or feature was stolen or produced without such authority; (7) knowingly transfers or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law; or (8) knowingly traffics in false authentication features for use in false identification documents, document-making implements, or means of identification; shall be punished as provided in subsection (b) of this section. (b) The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) of this section is – (1) except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4), a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 15 years, or both, if the offense is – (A) the production or transfer of an identification document, authentication feature, or false identification document that is or appears to be – (i) an identification document or authentication feature issued by or under the authority of the United States; or (ii) a birth certificate, or a driver’s license or personal identification card; (B) the production or transfer of more than five identification documents, authentication features, or false identification documents; (C) an offense under paragraph (5) of such subsection; or (D) an offense under paragraph (7) of such subsection that involves the transfer or use of 1 or more means of identification if, as a result of the offense, any individual committing the offense obtains anything of value aggregating $1,000 or more during any 1-year period; (2) except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4), a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than three years, or both, if the offense is – (A) any other production, transfer, or use of a means of identification, an identification document,,(!1) authentication feature, or a false identification document; or (B) an offense under paragraph (3) or (7) of such subsection; (3) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 20 years, or both, if the offense is committed – (A) to facilitate a drug trafficking crime (as defined in section 929(a)(2)); (B) in connection with a crime of violence (as defined in section 924(c)(3)); or (C) after a prior conviction under this section becomes final; (4) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 25 years, or both, if the offense is committed to facilitate an act of international terrorism (as defined in section 2331(1) of this title); (5) in the case of any offense under subsection (a), forfeiture to the United States of any personal property used or intended to be used to commit the offense; and (6) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in any other case. (c) The circumstance referred to in subsection (a) of this section is that – (1) the identification document, authentication feature, or false identification document is or appears to be issued by or under the authority of the United States or the document-making implement is designed or suited for making such an identification document, authentication feature, or false identification document; (2) the offense is an offense under subsection (a)(4) of this section; or (3) either – (A) the production, transfer, possession, or use prohibited by this section is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce, including the transfer of a document by electronic means; or (B) the means of identification, identification document, false identification document, or document-making implement is transported in the mail in the course of the production, transfer, possession, or use prohibited by this section. (d) In this section – (1) the term “authentication feature” means any hologram, watermark, certification, symbol, code, image, sequence of numbers or letters, or other feature that either individually or in combination with another feature is used by the issuing authority on an identification document, document-making implement, or means of identification to determine if the document is counterfeit, altered, or otherwise falsified; (2) the term “document-making implement” means any implement, impression, template, computer file, computer disc, electronic device, or computer hardware or software, that is specifically configured or primarily used for making an identification document, a false identification document, or another document-making implement; (3) the term “identification document” means a document made or issued by or under the authority of the United States Government, a State, political subdivision of a State, a foreign government, political subdivision of a foreign government, an international governmental or an international quasi-governmental organization which, when completed with information concerning a particular individual, is of a type intended or commonly accepted for the purpose of identification of individuals; (4) the term “false identification document” means a document of a type intended or commonly accepted for the purposes of identification of individuals that – (A) is not issued by or under the authority of a governmental entity or was issued under the authority of a governmental entity but was subsequently altered for purposes of deceit; and (B) appears to be issued by or under the authority of the United States Government, a State, a political subdivision of a State, a foreign government, a political subdivision of a foreign government, or an international governmental or quasi-governmental organization; (5) the term “false authentication feature” means an authentication feature that – (A) is genuine in origin, but, without the authorization of the issuing authority, has been tampered with or altered for purposes of deceit; (B) is genuine, but has been distributed, or is intended for distribution, without the authorization of the issuing authority and not in connection with a lawfully made identification document, document-making implement, or means of identification to which such authentication feature is intended to be affixed or embedded by the respective issuing authority; or (C) appears to be genuine, but is not; (6) the term “issuing authority” – (A) means any governmental entity or agency that is authorized to issue identification documents, means of identification, or authentication features; and (B) includes the United States Government, a State, a political subdivision of a State, a foreign government, a political subdivision of a foreign government, or an international government or quasi-governmental organization; (7) the term “means of identification” means any name or number that may be used, alone or in conjunction with any other information, to identify a specific individual, including any – (A) name, social security number, date of birth, official State or government issued driver’s license or identification number, alien registration number, government passport number, employer or taxpayer identification number; (B) unique biometric data, such as fingerprint, voice print, retina or iris image, or other unique physical representation; (C) unique electronic identification number, address, or routing code; or (D) telecommunication identifying information or access device (as defined in section 1029(e)); (8) the term “personal identification card” means an identification document issued by a State or local government solely for the purpose of identification; (9) the term “produce” includes alter, authenticate, or assemble; (10) the term “transfer” includes selecting an identification document, false identification document, or document-making implement and placing or directing the placement of such identification document, false identification document, or document-making implement on an online location where it is available to others; (11) the term “State” includes any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any other commonwealth, possession, or territory of the United States; and (12) the term “traffic” means – (A) to transport, transfer, or otherwise dispose of, to another, as consideration for anything of value; or (B) to make or obtain control of with intent to so transport, transfer, or otherwise dispose of. (e) This section does not prohibit any lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law enforcement agency of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or of an intelligence agency of the United States, or any activity authorized under chapter 224 of this title. (f) Attempt and Conspiracy. – Any person who attempts or conspires to commit any offense under this section shall be subject to the same penalties as those prescribed for the offense, the commission of which was the object of the attempt or conspiracy. (g) Forfeiture Procedures. – The forfeiture of property under this section, including any seizure and disposition of the property and any related judicial or administrative proceeding, shall be governed by the provisions of section 413 (other than subsection (d) of that section) of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. (h) Forfeiture; Disposition. – In the circumstance in which any person is convicted of a violation of subsection (a), the court shall order, in addition to the penalty prescribed, the forfeiture and destruction or other disposition of all illicit authentication features, identification documents, document-making implements, or means of identification. (i) Rule of Construction. – For purpose of subsection (a)(7), a single identification document or false identification document that contains 1 or more means of identification shall be construed to be 1 means of identification.

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28 U.S.C. 1028A

(a) Offenses.— (1) In general.— Whoever, during and in relation to any felony violation enumerated in subsection (c), knowingly transfers, possesses, or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person shall, in addition to the punishment provided for such felony, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 2 years. (2) Terrorism offense.— Whoever, during and in relation to any felony violation enumerated in section 2332b (g)(5)(B), knowingly transfers, possesses, or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person or a false identification document shall, in addition to the punishment provided for such felony, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 5 years. (b) Consecutive Sentence.— Notwithstanding any other provision of law— (1) a court shall not place on probation any person convicted of a violation of this section; (2) except as provided in paragraph (4), no term of imprisonment imposed on a person under this section shall run concurrently with any other term of imprisonment imposed on the person under any other provision of law, including any term of imprisonment imposed for the felony during which the means of identification was transferred, possessed, or used; (3) in determining any term of imprisonment to be imposed for the felony during which the means of identification was transferred, possessed, or used, a court shall not in any way reduce the term to be imposed for such crime so as to compensate for, or otherwise take into account, any separate term of imprisonment imposed or to be imposed for a violation of this section; and (4) a term of imprisonment imposed on a person for a violation of this section may, in the discretion of the court, run concurrently, in whole or in part, only with another term of imprisonment that is imposed by the court at the same time on that person for an additional violation of this section, provided that such discretion shall be exercised in accordance with any applicable guidelines and policy statements issued by the Sentencing Commission pursuant to section 994 of title 28. (c) Definition.— For purposes of this section, the term “felony violation enumerated in subsection (c)” means any offense that is a felony violation of— (1) section 641 (relating to theft of public money, property, or rewards [1]), section 656 (relating to theft, embezzlement, or misapplication by bank officer or employee), or section 664 (relating to theft from employee benefit plans); (2) section 911 (relating to false personation of citizenship); (3) section 922 (a)(6) (relating to false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm); (4) any provision contained in this chapter (relating to fraud and false statements), other than this section or section 1028 (a)(7); (5) any provision contained in chapter 63 (relating to mail, bank, and wire fraud); (6) any provision contained in chapter 69 (relating to nationality and citizenship); (7) any provision contained in chapter 75 (relating to passports and visas); (8) section 523 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6823) (relating to obtaining customer information by false pretenses); (9) section 243 or 266 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1253 and 1306) (relating to willfully failing to leave the United States after deportation and creating a counterfeit alien registration card); (10) any provision contained in chapter 8 of title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1321 et seq.) (relating to various immigration offenses); or (11) section 208, 811, 1107(b), 1128B(a), or 1632 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 408, 1011, 1307 (b), 1320a–7b (a), and 1383a) (relating to false statements relating to programs under the Act).

Tasks for which an attorney defending an individual of cyber crime may call a computer forensics expert may include hard drive examination, evidence analysis, independent investigation, data recovery, and counter forensics.  Counter-forensics involves reviewing forensic reports and images of digital evidence acquired by law enforcement.  Our analysis will focus on ensuring that law enforcement followed generally acceptable computer forensics procedures.  We also assist the defense attorney in performing a comprehensive review of the evidence, including exculpatory material that the law enforcement examiner may “miss.”

We can provide computer forensics assistance to attorneys representing individuals accused of various computer crimes, including:

• Criminal computer hacking, or computer unauthorized access – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of hacking, unauthorized access or violations of the Computer Trespassing and Computer Fraud statutes.
• Computer solicitation of a minor over the Internet – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of using communications devices to facilitate certain offenses involving minors.  Most of these charges involve police officers posing as minors in Internet chat rooms, Yahoo being the most popular law enforcement site.
  
• Internet identity theft and aggravated identity theft – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of  Identity Theft, aggravated identity theft, trafficking access devices, stolen credit cards, or social security numbers.
• Internet violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Access Device Fraud, and Trafficking in Passwords -  Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of  violating the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
• Internet violation of the Virginia Computer crime statutes – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of  violating Virginia cyber crime statutes.
• Virginia computer trespass under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of computer trespass in Virginia.
• Virginia computer fraud under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act -  Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of Virginia computer fraud.
• Theft of computer services under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of computer services theft.
  
• Computer embezzlement under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of computer embezzlement.
• Computer as an instrument of forgery under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act
  
• Possession of Internet child pornography – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of possession or distribution of child pornography.  These cases may involve issues related to file sharing software that are highly technical in nature. 
  
• Criminal computer invasion of privacy under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act
• Cyber stalking – Computer forensics expertise, including expert testimony at trial to assist attorneys in defending against charges of cyber stalking.  These cases may be complicated, especially when the prosecution is based on unclear allegations and paper based evidence printouts.  Unless challenged with the appropriate expertise, the Court may accept these printouts as evidence, resulting in a conviction.
  
• Criminal Copyright Infringement – An improperly channeled entrepreneurial spirit could cost you… downloading, sharing, or selling songs, movies, software, documents, or other files may cost you a Federal prison sentence.  We can assist you with our experience in Computer forensics and technology.  We obtained the first jury not guilty verdict in a Federal Internet music piracy case.

When you need the assistance of a Virginia computer forensics expert, or a computer expert witness, we assist Virginia lawyers handling computer crime cases throughout Virginia including without limitation Fairfax County, Henrico County, Richmond City, Chesterfield County, Hanover County, Petersburg County, Prince William County, Hopewell, Petersburg, Dinwiddie, Quantico, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg, Amelia, Powhatan, Goochland, Louisa, Manassas, Woodbridge, Charles City, James City, Gloucester, Portsmouth, Shenandoah, Prince George, Sussex, New Kent, West End of Richmond, Glen Allen, Federal Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Richmond, Alexandria, Norfolk, and Newport News Divisions).