Mid-Missouri task force hacks Internet crime
The task force also educates parents and children on Internet safety.
Published Sept. 15, 2009
The Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force aims to tackle Internet-related crimes in Boone County and the surrounding area.
According to the MMIC Task Force Web site, the task force investigates criminal activities perpetrated through the use of the Internet and is comprised of various police and sheriff's departments from around the area.
MMIC Task Force Detective Mike Lederle said the three primary originators included the Columbia Police Department, the Boone County Sheriff's Department and the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Lederle comes to the MMIC Task Force from CPD.
The MMIC Task Force serves six counties surrounding Boone County: Audrain, Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard and Randolph, Lederle said. The task force also gains support mostly from large communities. Smaller communities don't always have the manpower or the budget to assign someone full time.
The MU Police Department has also contributed a staff member, who stays within MUPD's department, to the MMIC Task Force.
MMIC Task Force Detective Andy Anderson said the task force was established in January 2007. At the time, it was funded by a one-year state grant, private grants and donations. These helped to cover personnel training and equipment costs.
"It maintained the jobs of two investigators," Anderson said.
He comes to the MMIC Task Force from the sheriff's department.
Lederle said CPD Sgt. Ken Hammond assigns cases to him if the crime requires the expertise of the Task Force. After a case is assigned, MMIC Task Force members begin to build their case.
"These cases are not overnight deals," Task Force Detective Tracy Perkins said. "They can take anywhere from 30 days, six months, to a year. There is no set time."
Perkins also comes to the MMIC Task Force from the sheriff's department.
In the past, the MMIC Task Force members have encountered other agencies while building a case against a suspect.
In a recent case against Jeffrey Doland of Uniontown, Ohio, a MMIC Task Force investigator was contacted by the Secret Service, who was also investigating Doland, a news release stated.
"We weren't working jointly (with the Secret Service)," Perkins said. "Just at the same time."
According to a news release, Doland pleaded guilty to attempting to violently dunk children underwater for his own sexual pleasure. Dolan agreed to 20 years in prison but could have received up to 90 if convicted by a jury.
Perkins said the MMIC Task Force also services mid-Missouri by promoting public awareness with programs held at junior highs and high schools as well as any agency or nonprofit organization that requests help furthering education.
In the past, the task force has covered cyber bullying along with child pornography awareness. The programs aim for overall Internet safety for both parents and children.
Comments (2)
2:32 p.m., Jan. 14, 2010
Girl Gamer said:
Anderson also went on TV and accused ALL adults playing Animal Crossing of having no good reason, ie they are predators stalking your children, for playing a game that, unlike many, requires an exchange of two friend codes (a dozen numbers randomly produced for each player in the game) which HAS to be done outside the game. Nor can photos of kids be uploaded in the game, only 'in game' photos of cartoon characters. The elderly turtle pointed out as possibly being a california predator the police are searching for is a game controlled non player character, NO adult nor child EVER controls him. Kids can interact with many computer controlled characters, or after trading friend codes (which are long enough no one is guessing them or overhearing someone yell out a name or some other lame way to get the code) they THEN have to arrange (also outside the game) to be online at the same time. and if the child uses wii speak everyone in the same room will hear it (and the sensitive mic will pick up the conversations of anyone around the player, so no adult is coaching a child to get your child to do wrong, no adult can pretend to be a child since their voice would id them as adult... So the game is safe as humanly possible (you want more lock your kid in a barrel until they are 18), and since the player can fish for various types of fish and hunt insects, dig for dinosaur bones, all to build up the museum displays or to sell for 'bells', coins, which they can buy furniture for their house, clothing, costumes, can plant flowers, fruit trees (and sell the fruit as well) as well as normal trees, get holiday prizes, solve puzzles, make 'friends' with computer generated neighbors and real friendships with real friends online one has trusted with their code... all without the blood, guts, guns, nudity or violence so common in many video games. A game that encourages friendships, building a good town, with a museum bridges and a lighthouses they donate money for. Anyone of any age who isn't interested in swearing games with near naked women treated as nothing more than sex objects, or worse punching bags, but instead likes collecting stuff and designing their own clothing likes Animal Crossing. Pity Mr. Anderson has so little imagination he either is so paranoid that ALL possible contact between any adult and any child must be banned or he didn't check into the actual game, instead of assuming it 'had to be' dangerous just because it allowed contact, but if they are talking to someone online, on the phone or wherever to get the code, then they don't need a game that never allows them to see the child, and only allows them to talk to the child with the risk of every adult in the room hearing their every word. The reporter is gone from the station, but Anderson still heads up the task force allowing him to make more silly comments like the ones he made on channel 17 news. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xAK-X0RA5o Pity.
6:33 p.m., Sept. 25, 2009
Phea no Son said:
child support