With the internet being a pervasive factor in our society today, itis not surprising that many crimes have transitioned from being perpetrated in-person to acts committed online.
Some people mistakenly believe that the internet provides anonymous cover for criminal activity. It does not. Federal law enforcement and prosecutors has become laser focused on this growing new age criminal phenomenon. This increasing federal interest in detecting and punishing what has become known as cybercrime is something you should be mindful of not only to protect yourself from becoming a victim of such criminal activity but to protect yourself from becoming entangled in that kind of activity.
Federal Crimes That Have Shifted Online
Some people charged with cybercrime are surprised to learn that they are being prosecuted at the federal rather than state level. The truth of the matter is this: When someone does something illegal online, it’s likely considered interstate commerce, something that falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government.
This can increase the seriousness of the crime you’ve been charged with, so it’s important to understand. The crimes that have more commonly moved to online perpetration include:
Drug Trafficking
The internet allows for all sorts of illegal transactions, including those that involve illegal drugs. In fact, the darknet is rife with illegal drug transactions in underground marketplaces. What does this look like? Rather than doing deals in person with others to deal or distribute, the drug transactions are occurring online, and drugs are simply mailed to someone through the United States Postal Service.
Weapons Trafficking
Just as drug trafficking can easily be managed online, so can weapons trafficking these days. Many illegal weapons are bought and sold on the darknet each day.
Stalking
A person who is stalking another doesn’t have to physically see them anymore to perpetrate this crime. The internet can be used to spy on, harass, and stalk another person easily. Plus, for some people, it’s as easy as ever to hack into someone’s cloud storage or email to obtain private information. Even webcams on computers can be hacked to spy on someone else. Cyberstalking has become a very serious issue.
Prostitution
Yes, to actually meet up with a prostitute does require person-to-person contact, but setting up services from a prostitute no longer does. A majority of crimes involving prostitution occur online now, turning what used to be a local crime into a federal one if the reach is far enough.
Murder
While you cannot murder someone through the computer, you can pay someone to murder another person online. In recent years, murder-for-hire schemes have moved online, and they happen far more frequently than people may imagine. And whether it’s done online or in person, it’s equally illegal to conspire to murder another person.
Online living has become so commonplace that people may not think about the implications of what they do online. However, it’s vital to understand that when a crime is committed over the internet, then a person may be exposing themselves to federal prosecution – or in some cases, both federal and state prosecution.
So, make sure to be careful in your online dealings. Remember that, if a crime crosses state lines, even over the internet, it can bring federal charges your way.