Totowa NJ Cyber-Harassment Defense Attorney
Criminal Defense Lawyer in Passaic County, New Jersey
Criminal defense attorney Alissa D. Hascup defends clients throughout New Jersey, including Paterson, Hackensack, Morristown, Wayne, and Denville who have been charged with violent crimes such as terroristic threats, aggravated assault, and simple assault.
She has successfully represented countless individuals in New Jersey in Superior Court (indictable/felony level offenses) and Municipal Court (disorderly persons/misdemeanor level offenses). She is a former assistant county prosecutor, special deputy attorney general, and municipal prosecutor. Now she is ready to fight for you.
Ms. Hascup’s extensively experience has made her acutely aware of the effect that the internet and social media has had on the treatment of crimes in New Jersey, including cyber-harassment.
If you or a loved one has been charged with cyber-harassment, there could be lasting consequences. Ms. Hascup is a battle-tested criminal defense lawyer who will attack the criminal charges against you and put you in a position to achieve the best possible result. Contact her office anytime for an initial consultation, which is always provided free of charge.
Cyber-Harassment in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1
Cyber-Harassment is a recent addition to the New Jersey Criminal Code. The main effect is to punish harassment done through electronic devices more seriously than other harassment. The crime is codified under N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1, which provides:
a. A person commits the crime of cyber-harassment if, while making a communication in an online capacity via any electronic device or through a social networking site and with the purpose to harass another, the person:
- Threatens to inflict injury or physical harm to any person or the property of any person; OR
- Knowingly sends, posts, comments, requests, suggests, or proposes any lewd, indecent, or obscene material to or about a person with the intent to emotionally harm a reasonable person or place a reasonable person in fear of physical or emotional harm to his person; OR
- Threatens to commit any crime against the person or the person’s property.
b. Cyber-harassment is a crime of the fourth degree, unless the person is 21 years of age or older at the time of the offense and impersonates a minor for the purpose of cyber-harassing a minor, in which case it is a crime of the third degree.
c. If a minor under the age of 16 is adjudicated delinquent for cyber-harassment, the court may order as a condition of the sentence that the minor, accompanied by a parent or guardian, complete, in a satisfactory manner, one or both of the following:
- A class or training program intended to reduce the tendency toward cyber-harassment behavior; OR
- A class or training program intended to bring awareness to the dangers associated with cyber-harassment.
d. A parent or guardian who fails to comply with a condition imposed by the court pursuant to subjection c. is a disorderly person and shall be fined not more than $25 for a first offense and not more than $100 for each subsequent offense.
A crime of the third degree is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 3 to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison.
A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison.
A disorderly persons offense is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 6 months in the county jail.
Contact a Denville NJ Cyber-Harassment Defense Lawyer Today
In the event that you have been charged with Cyber-Harassment, you need a skilled and knowledgeable attorney who can seek to avoid a permanent criminal conviction on your record. For instance, if you are a first-time offender, Alissa D. Hascup can attempt to negotiate your entry into a diversionary program, such as the Pre-Trial Intervention ( PTI ) Program (which, if successfully completed, would result in a dismissal of the charges against you) OR a downgrade of your charges to the local municipal court (which would reduce your exposure and possibly allow you to resolve your case in a manner that will avoid a criminal conviction).
The potential consequences of a Cyber-Harassment conviction can be serious. Ms. Hascup can help. Call or email her office right away for a free consultation.
