Cybercrime/Internet Crime Prosecution: Anyone with stories or paths to get there? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am currently in the process of leaving a mid/regional BL firm to become an ADA in a smaller area of CA. I know based on past experience and exposure that the ADA position is something I truly will find satisfaction in doing, and potentially see myself staying in that role long-term/permanently.

That being said, I am extremely interested in specializing to the degree that I might be able to translate general prosecutorial/DA experience into a specific role that tackles computer/internet crime.

I have no technical background in terms of resume fodder, but a few entry level certs I got "for fun" before going to law school (A+, a couple of coding certificates), and have what I would consider a very high functional "amateur knowledge" of all things internet and network/security, as an example TCP/IP layer stuff, basic datasec practices and the "hacking techniques" that are the mirrors thereof, etc.

And perhaps most importantly, I think the personal fulfillment that I would get from a normal DA role would be exponentially increased if I was doing the same things but on a larger scale and in a "lane" that I am super comfortable and relatively well-versed in, namely all things computers and internet.

So with that diatribe over: Does anyone generally or specifically to CA know to what degree such roles might exist at larger cities' DA offices, in silicon valley, or at the state/federal level? Anything appreciated.

[claptrap]

Send me a private message.

Tried to post this earlier, but somehow it got stuck in a moderation queue... we'll see if I have any better luck this time.

[lockin54]

I took a cybercrime class, just be warned your day to day would be basically be dealing with child pornography cases. Just taking the class was rough.

[claptrap]

I took a cybercrime class, just be warned your day to day would be basically be dealing with child pornography cases. Just taking the class was rough.

Depends on the office. If you're working in an actual cybercrime unit in a mid- to larger-sized office, that isn't the case. From what I've seen, CP tends to get split off into more specialized child exploitation or sex crimes units in such offices.

If you're "the computer guy" in smaller offices, then yeah, definitely a risk.

[Anonymous User]

Send me a private message.

Tried to post this earlier, but somehow it got stuck in a moderation queue... we'll see if I have any better luck this time.

Hey they changed the interface on me since I was last super active on this or any other forum... I don't see a way to PM you or I definitely would. Maybe because this is a fairly new account?

[claptrap]

Wow, that's lame! It must have been a recent change, since I had someone else with another issue I thought I could share some useful info with PM me last year.

If you like, post a throwaway email address and I'll shoot you a note.

[Anonymous User]

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[Anonymous User]

I clerked in a state court that handled only felony criminal cases. In that jurisdiction, the state attorney general's office had a whole unit devoted to cybercrime. It was a relatively small unit given the size of our state, but they prosecuted a ton of stuff, and the quality of investigations they conducted were very high. I think they had something like 10-15 attorneys and maybe twice that number of investigators. I'd say 90% of the cases I saw that they prosecuted in front of us were CP-related; that's just the nature of the game when it comes to state-level cybercrime, since most financial cybercrime is going to be taken by the US Attorney's Office. They did prosecute some non-CP stuff though, like extortion through the use of ransomware.

The attorneys in that unit followed the typical path to a state AG's office. Law school > state clerkship > county prosecutor/direct state AG hire > detail to cybercrimes unit.

[Anonymous User]

It used to be that the top young prosecutors in major offices would gun for an assignment in the securities fraud unit or fraud units of U.S. Attorney's Offices. Now you're seeing many of these individuals gunning to get assigned to cybercrime. Obviously, technical expertise helps (and to be frank, many people prosecuting cybercrime don't have this background), but if you're coming from a DA's office, might make sense for you to take a detour after your stint as a state court prosecutor, become a CCIPS prosecutor and then try to leverage that into a position as cybercrime prosecutor in NDCA or CDCA - - both of which have good cybercrime units. In addition, prosecutors at the major USAOs often also prosecute intellectual property within cybercime units. Because cybersecurity and intellectual property litigation is transferable to private sector experience, going forward, AUSAs in this area will likely be in demand for partnership positions at firms or inhouse. The downside is that in many USAOs cyber prosecutors also have to prosecute CP, which are important cases, but heartbreaking and difficult.