Greeley Computer Crime Lawyer
Don’t Like Your Grades? Just Change Them! 

A teen was charged with Computer Crime for hacking into the school network and accessing the online grading system to change other's grades including improving his own. Read more here.

Using a computer, computer network, or system without authorization is charged as Computer Crime in Greeley and Weld County. A 16-year-old is facing multiple counts of this charge for hacking into his school’s network to change grades. According to the report, the student created an email that sent any teachers who clicked on it to a fake website that tracked their user names and passwords. He then used said passwords to enter the school’s portal, changing the grades of other students and giving himself really good grades. The false site and emails were traced back to the student and he was charged with multiple Computer Crimes. 

Weld County Computer Crime Attorney: Definition of Computer Crime in Morgan County 

The Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, Colorado law definition of Computer Crime as it relates to this case – C.R.S. 18-5.5-102(1)(a)(e) – is: 

(1) A person commits computer crime if the person knowingly: 

(a) Accesses a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof without authorization; exceeds authorized access to a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof; or uses a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof without authorization or in excess of authorized access; or 

(e) Without authorization or in excess of authorized access alters, damages, interrupts, or causes the interruption or impairment of the proper functioning of, or causes any damage to, any computer, computer network, computer system, computer software, program, application, documentation, or data contained in such computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof

Simply accessing the system without permission is enough to charge this crime under subsection (a). When he altered things, he opened the door for charges under subsection (e) as well.

Sentence for Computer Crime in Erie and Evans 

Computer Crime is charged as a felony or misdemeanor depending on the amount of loss, damage, value of services. Thing of value taken, or cost of restoration or repair: 

  • Less than $50 is a class 1 petty offense 
  • $50 – $299 is a class 3 misdemeanor 
  • $300 – $749 is a class 2 misdemeanor 
  • $750 – $1,999 is a class 1 misdemeanor 
  • $2,000 – $4,999 is a class 6 felony
  • $5,000 – $19,999 is a class 5 felony 
  • $20,000 – $99,999 is a class 4 felony
  • $100,000 – $999,999 is a class 3 felony 
  • $1,000,000 or more is a class 2 felony 

If you or someone you love has been charged with Computer Crime, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 today. Together, we can protect your future. 

Image Source: Pixabay-varunkul01