Sanders & Nettles, LLC has a strong record of success defending our clients who are accused of serious crimes including a wide array of internet crimes. At Sanders & Nettles, we believe everyone who is accused of a crime, no matter what the charge, deserves a fair trial and an aggressive defense. Thanks to our decades defending clients in South Carolina, we have the experience and knowledge to help clients who are facing serious criminal charges related to the Internet. Our Columbia South Carolina computer crime defense lawyers will work to keep you out of jail, help you understand the charges you're facing and work to get the best possible outcome to your case.
Of course, conduct that was illegal before the rise of the Internet is illegal online as well. However, the Internet has created some new categories of crime and enabled older ones to grow. South Carolina's Computer Crime Act defines "hacking," spreading viruses and related activities as felonies if they result in damage worth $10,000 or more. The penalties for these crimes are up to five years in prison, a $50,000 fine, or both. Crimes causing lesser amounts of damage are misdemeanors; second-degree computer crime carries up to a year of incarceration, plus fines, while third-degree computer crime carries up to 30 days, plus fines.
Common Internet-related charges include:
- "Hacking" -- gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to computer systems.
- "Spamming" -- sending unwanted e-mail in violation of the receiver's request to be taken off the list.
- Spreading computer viruses, worms and other hostile software.
- Credit card fraud.
- Identity theft.
- E-mail scams.
- Auction fraud.
- "Phishing" -- pretending to represent a legitimate company in order to get access to private financial information.
Child Pornography Charges
In recent years, state and federal authorities have turned their attention to online child pornography including, consuming, making or trading child pornography and arranging to meet an underage teen or child for sex. Unfortunately, in their eagerness to catch and punish child molesters, law enforcement officers sometimes accuse or even entrap innocent people. We recognize these are very serious accusations that come with a harsh social stigma as well as prison time, steep fines, professional licensing problems, registration requirements and other civil and social penalties.
The experienced South Carolina criminal defense attorneys at Sanders & Nettles know that even an unwarranted accusation of a child pornography crime can turn someone's life upside down. We promise that we will do everything in our power to minimize or eliminate the impact an accusation has on your family, your job, your property and your reputation. We will comb through your case to find illegal seizures, entrapment or rights violations that can get your charges dropped or eliminated. And if necessary, we will fight for your rights in court.
If you're charged with an Internet crime in South Carolina, you could be facing prison or jail time, steep fines and other serious consequences. That's why you should call the criminal defense experts at Sanders & Nettles as soon as possible. Our Columbia SC criminal defense attorneys have decades of experience in criminal law; we understand how prosecutors build cases and where to look for weaknesses. Put that experience and knowledge to work for you as early as possible -- call Sanders & Nettles today.