Online Activities Can Result in Serious Criminal Charges in Ohio

Most of us spend a significant portion of our day online. Whether you use the internet as part of your job, for shopping, news, and Google searches, or simply as a way to keep up with friends via social media, it is important to be aware of the risks. Online activities you engage in could result in serious criminal charges in Ohio. 

Online Crimes Against Individuals

Online relationships exist between family, friends, or even strangers and can form a large part of our interactions with others. Sending emails, visiting chat rooms, and posting on social media accounts all provide means of staying connected. Unfortunately, they can also be used to threaten and harass individuals. Online stalking is a common type of crime and can result in serious penalties under the Ohio Code.  It often involves the following types of behaviors: 

• Unwanted attention on social media and in chat rooms;
• Sending harassing email messages or other types of online correspondence;
• Tracking a particular person via online accounts;
• Posting false and inflammatory personal information about them. 

Online interactions with others often begin innocently enough but can quickly escalate into criminal behavior. Penalties for stalking, online harassment, or making threats against others via the internet can include heavy fines, potentially lengthy jail sentences, and a permanent criminal record. 

Internet Crimes Involving Businesses and Government Agencies 

Many of us have witnessed online interactions involving others that end up turning hostile and aggressive. These typically focus on relationships between individuals and are often not premeditated. In other cases, internet crimes consist of organized efforts to target people, groups, businesses, and government agencies to acquire money, power, or access. They may involve individual users or groups of people working together, in some cases from different states or even countries. These are among the most common and serious types of online crimes. They include: 

• Hacking schemes;
• Phishing scams;
• Installing spyware or ransomware;
• Data breaches;
• Identity theft;
• Embezzlement and fraud.  

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, cybercrimes target millions of people each year and result in financial losses, theft of intellectual property, and property damages worth billions of dollars. If you have been accused of this type of crime, you may be facing charges locally and on a federal level. These typically carry more severe penalties upon conviction, including mandatory minimum prison sentences. 

Contact Our Dayton Criminal Defense Lawyers Right Away

If you are accused of an online crime, it is important to reach out to the Van Noy Firm right away. We help to protect you against the serious penalties associated with a conviction. To schedule a consultation, call or contact our Dayton criminal defense lawyers today.