Aggressive Annapolis Criminal Defense Attorney Protecting the Rights of BitTorrent Users

Helping people throughout Maryland accused of crimes related to uTorrent, iMule, Vuze, and other P2P file sharing protocols

There used to be a time where, if you wanted to see a movie, you had to sneak into a movie theater (or pay the money for a ticket). If you wanted to hear your favorite song, you had to tape it off the radio (or save up your pennies to buy it in a record store). And if you wanted to look at naked people, you had to steal your father’s magazines when he wasn’t looking, or find a bodega owner who “believed” you were actually a 37-year-old dentist from Missoula, and would sell you a rag from behind the counter; one wrapped in brown paper, so nothing showed through to the kids in the store. That’s how the older generation got its entertainment – and those days are long gone.

Now, you can stream movies, listen to music and see all the naked ladies (or men) you want in the blink of the eye, especially if you use P2P file sharing programs like BitTorrent or iMule. But what many people don’t know is that these swarms are like the mafia: every time you think you’re out, they pull you back in. And if you get hit with a malicious virus or piece of malware, you can end up with some pretty incriminating “evidence” on your computer. When that happens, you’ll need an aggressive, experienced Annapolis criminal defense lawyer on your side.

That lawyer should be me. My name is Gill Andrew Cochran, and at my law firm – Drew Cochran, Attorney at Law – I don’t judge you when you’ve been the victim of a cyber hack. I know that you don’t deserve time in prison for child pornography charges when all you wanted was to watch a poorly-rendered version of the latest superhero movie. And I know that you’ll be a lot better off if you call me ASAP than trying to fix the problem yourself. I offer aggressive defense strategies and a proactive approach to your case, and I’ll fight for your future and your freedoms.

What is BitTorrent?

BitTorrent is an open source peer to peer protocol (P2P) that allows for a simple way of moving files around the Internet. The idea was to “break” the file being transferred into smaller segments, called “pieces.” To save bandwidth, each person downloading (called a “peer”) would have the pieces that they acquired available for upload to other peers in the network (called a “swarm”).

In other words, when a file is too big, it takes a long time to download. This lets you access games, movies, music, etc. more quickly. Even NASA uses BitTorrent for its Visible Earth project – and if NASA trusts it, I think it’s safe to say you can, too.

You know. Until you can’t, that is.

Why BitTorrent presents some dangers

While the program in and of itself isn’t dangerous, there are two issues that can lead to serious problems later:

  1. Not every peer is a good guy. I know it might seem strange, not implicitly trusting strangers on the internet who want to share their porn with you, but it’s true; some people are pretty terrible, and their greatest joy in life is screwing over others.
  2. BitTorrent is a Stage 5 clinger. The messed up thing about BitTorrent is that it doesn’t really ever go away. Even if you decide you don’t want to use the program anymore and you delete everything, it just keeps reinstalling itself.

Internet trolls + obsessive software = a recipe for disaster for any user, but most especially for users who download pornography via the web.

Pornography is legal; child pornography is not. If you download illegal material through BitTorrent – even if you didn’t know it was happening – you could end up with your face on “FBI Raid Weekly,” and in jail for the rest of your life. Once you get out of prison, you’ll face thousands of dollars in fines and life on the offender’s list. And if you thought it was hard to get a raise before, just wait until you see how hard it is to get a job once the world thinks you’re a child molester.

Because make no mistake: even if you end up with files on your computer through no fault or knowledge of your own, and even if you haven’t even seen a child in a year, let alone been close enough to shake hands with one, people will equate those files with child molestation, and your reputation is not likely to bounce back from that.

Why you need an Annapolis criminal defense lawyer on your side

There are lot of illegal files that can be installed on your computer without your knowledge that can land you in hot water. And since most of these programs are free to use, there’s a good chance that, if your kid uses P2P file sharing, there’s a bunch of stuff on your computer you can’t even imagine existed. That includes:

You need an attorney to help you build the case for your defense for all of these. For the last 20 years, I’ve handled some of the most challenging criminal defense cases in the state. Unlike other attorneys, I don’t shy away from sex crime cases, because I believe that EVERYONE is entitled to a defense – and that, under the law, you are innocent until you are proven guilty. I don’t judge, I don’t lecture and I don’t get mad. Instead, I offer you honest, straightforward counsel about what you should do and why, and fight to protect your rights. If an outright acquittal isn’t possible, I’ll work to get you the best possible deal. And if that deal isn’t good enough, I’ll fight tooth and nail in front of a jury to ensure that your future is all that you want it to be.

If you are accused of downloading child pornography, it’s time to give me a call

I founded Drew Cochran, Attorney at Law because I wanted to uphold justice in Annapolis and throughout Maryland. When you’re facing what the general public considers among the worst possible sex crime charges, you need a defense lawyer who will fight for you. Please call 410-271-1892 or complete my contact form to schedule an appointment at my office. If you’re already in custody, I’ll come to you.

You don’t have to go through this alone. Just remember: Keep Calm – and Call Drew.