Cybercrime Charges in Georgia and Federal Court
Cybercrime is not a single offense but a category spanning dozens of statutes at both the state and federal levels. Georgia’s Computer Systems Protection Act (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-90 et seq.) covers offenses including computer theft, computer trespass, and computer invasion of privacy — all under § 16-9-93. Federal prosecutors frequently bring parallel charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. § 1030), the Stored Communications Act (18 U.S.C. § 2701), and related statutes.
What makes these cases particularly challenging is the combination of technical complexity and aggressive prosecution. Federal cybercrime investigations often involve months of digital forensics before any charges are filed. Having a defense attorney who can engage meaningfully with that evidence — and challenge it on its own technical terms — is essential.
Cybercrime Charges Cullen Law Defends
Computer Theft and Computer Trespass (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-93(a)-(b)) — Georgia’s core computer crime offenses; computer theft involves using a computer without authority to take or obtain property; computer trespass covers unauthorized interference with computer programs or data. Both are felonies.
Computer Invasion of Privacy (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-93(c)) — Examining employment, medical, financial, or personal data using a computer without authority.
Computer Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1030 — CFAA) — Federal charges arising from unauthorized computer access; used broadly in both hacking and employee misconduct cases. What constitutes “unauthorized access” is genuinely disputed in many cases.
Identity Fraud (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-121) — Using another person’s identifying information without consent; a felony carrying one to ten years per count under § 16-9-126.
Aggravated Identity Fraud (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-121.1) — Using fictitious or counterfeit identifying information for the purpose of obtaining employment; carries one to fifteen years.
Phishing and Online Fraud — Charges arising from schemes using deceptive digital communications to obtain money or information; typically charged under Georgia’s fraud statutes or federal wire fraud law.
Cyberstalking and Online Harassment (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-90) — Georgia’s stalking statute explicitly covers contact made “by computer, by computer network, or by any other electronic device.” Charges frequently arise in domestic and interpersonal conflicts.
Aggravated Stalking (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-91) — Where electronic communications are made in violation of a bond, injunction, or protective order; a felony carrying one to ten years.
Sextortion — Using intimate images or the threat of their release to extort money or other conduct; charged under a combination of extortion, harassment, and computer statutes.
Child Exploitation Online (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-100) — Charges involving online grooming, solicitation, or transmission of child sexual abuse material; among the most serious consequences available under Georgia or federal law.
Defending Technical Cases
Digital evidence is not infallible. Forensic analysis can misidentify users, misread metadata, or fail to account for shared networks, compromised devices, or spoofed identities. Charles works to understand the government’s technical evidence — and retains experts to challenge it where the underlying methodology is flawed.
Authorization and intent are also frequently contested. Many computer access cases turn on whether what the defendant did was actually “unauthorized” — a legal question with genuine complexity in cases involving shared work accounts, ambiguous access policies, and former-employee situations.
Charged With a Cybercrime? Call Now.
Whether you are under investigation or have already been charged, contact Cullen Law as early as possible. In cybercrime cases especially, the period before formal charges is often when the most important decisions get made.
