Cybercrimes unit provides tools for combatting online offenses

By John Dilmore
john@casscountynow.com

Formation of a new Cass County Cybercrimes Unit is helping local authorities overcome one of the biggest hurdles involved in prosecuting internet-related offenses -- the time it takes the state crime lab to analyze computers and other devices for evidence.
Thanks to training and equipment obtained through a U.S. Secret Service program, the analysis can now take place at the Cass County District Attorney’s Office, speeding up the process of making cases, and giving prosecutors more flexibility when determining priorities.
DA’s Office Criminal Investigator Cody Sartor went through training at the National Computer Forensics Institute, which is based in Birmingham, Alabama. Armed for the past five weeks with the new knowledge -- and with a $100,000 forensic workstation provided by the Secret Service -- he’s now able to search devices for evidence himself.
“We are able to do that in-house, as opposed to the two-year backlog at the state,” Sartor said. “So far I’ve processed around two-and-a-half terabytes of data.
“We’re currently working six cases with electronic media – and all of those are felony cases. We can do other things, but the majority of what we’ve been focusing on right now has been child pornography and sexual assaults.”
Assistant District Attorney Courtney Shelton emphasized how much more quickly cases can now be pursued.
“A lot of our stuff has been going to Longview and we’re waiting six months to a year, usually, to get that stuff back,” Shelton said. “And we’ll have to subpoena that officer to come testify, who may or may not be available, so we have to continue that case.
“Using Cody, he can do the search warrant … and he can process that immediately.”
The faster turnaround helps authorities be better armed with information with interviewing suspects – instead of waiting to hear back from the crime lab about what is or isn’t on a computer, for instance, they can already have that data. It also helps when prioritizing cases. Some cases involved illegal data or information, but in many cases, there’s a victim to consider.
Shelton specified, “Are we dealing with an actual victim in Cass County that we need to process this now -- or is this something that we’re dealing with, just pornography, where we may not have an actual victim … that maybe we can put this off a little longer because we’ve got something else that’s got priority.”
Shelton said there are many cases in Cass County involving child pornography and sexual assault.
“A lot of the sexual assaults occur because of access to the internet,” she said. “People thinking I’m talking to this person, it sounds safe, and then they meet them and it turns into a sexual assault situation.”
Sartor emphasized the training and technology now helping combat the problem locally came at no cost to the county. 
“The Secret Service uses us as a force multiplier,” he said. “Being part of the Secret Service Task Force for Electronics, I turn my numbers in for the Secret Service, who in turn says the State of Texas Secret Service Division produced this many devices, processed this much data. That’s what they get out of it, is that force multiplier effect.
“Of course the Secret Service, if they have anything in this area that they work, it will come to us and they hold priority.”
It’s unusual for an area the size of Cass County to have access to this training and equipment -- most personnel who go through the course are from larger cities, counties or agencies. Longview is the nearest place with a similar situation.
Authorities here are not done utilizing the training opportunities, however. Sartor and Shelton both said there are additional courses available, which will further expand their local capabilities.