Cybercrime is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person accesses a computer system, or network without authority to do so. Basically, Cybercrime is hacking in Colorado. If you’ve read our blogs before, you know that finding crazy or extreme examples of crimes is our favorite to write about and today’s story definitely falls into the strange category. A mother and daughter were recently arrested for Cybercrime because they hacked into the school network to cast fake votes so the daughter could be homecoming queen. Yup, apparently getting on homecoming court was really that important. To make matters worse, the girl had just recently turned 18, so prosecutors decided to just charge her as an adult, even though she was 17 at the time the hacking occurred.
Larimer County Cybercrime Lawyer: Definition of Cybercrime Hacking in Colorado
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Cybercrime – C.R.S. 18-5.5-102 – is:
(a) Accesses a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof without authorization; exceeds authorized access to a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof; or uses a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof without authorization or in excess of authorized access; or
(b) Accesses any computer, computer network, or computer system, or any part thereof for the purpose of devising or executing any scheme or artifice to defraud; or
(c) Accesses any computer, computer network, or computer system, or any part thereof to obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, money; property; services; passwords or similar information through which a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof may be accessed; or other thing of value; or
(d) Accesses any computer, computer network, or computer system, or any part thereof to commit theft; or
(e) Without authorization or in excess of authorized access alters, damages, interrupts, or causes the interruption or impairment of the proper functioning of, or causes any damage to, any computer, computer network, computer system, computer software, program, application, documentation, or data contained in such computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof; or
(f) Causes the transmission of a computer program, software, information, code, data, or command by means of a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof with the intent to cause damage to or to cause the interruption or impairment of the proper functioning of or that actually causes damage to or the interruption or impairment of the proper functioning of any computer, computer network, computer system, or part thereof; or
(g) Uses or causes to be used a software application that runs automated tasks over the internet to access a computer, computer network, or computer system, or any part thereof, that circumvents or disables any electronic queues, waiting periods, or other technological measure intended by the seller to limit the number of event tickets that may be purchased by any single person in an online event ticket sale as defined in section 6-1-720, C.R.S.; or
(h) Solicits or offers to arrange a situation in which a minor may engage in prostitution, by means of using a computer, computer network, computer system, or any part thereof; or
(i) Directly or indirectly uses a scanning device to access, read, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently, information encoded on the payment card without the permission of the authorized user of the payment card, and with the intent to defraud the authorized user, the issuer of the authorized user’s payment card, or a merchant; or
(j) Directly or indirectly uses an encoding machine to place information encoded on the payment card onto a different payment card without the permission of the authorized user of the payment card from which the information being reencoded was obtained, and with the intent to defraud the authorized user, the issuer of the authorized user’s payment card, or a merchant.
It’s likely that if this had occurred in Colorado, the two would be facing charges under subsection (a) or (b). Usually, with subsection (b) charge there is some sort of monetary loss involved, which I don’t think applies in the bogus homecoming votes scheme.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Cybercrime in Fort Collins, Loveland, or Estes Park, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule your free initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
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