Denver, CO criminal defense attorney David Lindsey discusses which CO courts deal with computer crimes. He explains that computer crimes are prosecuted in both state and federal court. In state court, these cases often involve various forms of hacking, sometimes arising in domestic situations where a spouse uses a password to access the other spouse’s emails—an act considered a crime under Colorado law. There are also a range of online sex crimes, including downloading child pornography or attempting to engage in sexual relationships with a minor over the internet.

Both of these latter offenses can be prosecuted at either the state or federal level, with the distinction often depending on how serious prosecutors view the conduct. For example, cases involving thousands of images of child pornography or the creation of such material are more likely to result in federal prosecution, while cases involving only a handful of images may remain in state court.

As for attempts to engage sexually with a minor online, these cases almost always involve sting operations, where the individual is communicating with a police officer rather than an actual minor. Both state authorities and federal agencies—particularly Homeland Security—actively conduct these operations to identify and prosecute offenders.