Articles Posted in News

A customs phone search at an international airport led to federal child sexual abuse material charges for a traveler returning to Portland, Oregon. The case is a reminder that U.S. Customs and Border Protection can examine phones and other electronic devices at airports, just as it can at cruise ports and other ports of entry,…

A report out of Marshall County, Alabama, in late October 2026 shows that teens who use AI tools to create explicit images of classmates can face criminal charges, not just school discipline. Anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Attorney Ron Frey is not commenting on any particular case…

Federal prosecutors in South Florida recently charged two people accused of running a drug vendor account on the dark web. According to reports, undercover agents in Miami bought drugs advertised as heroin, and lab testing found fentanyl. Investigators say they connected more than 500 shipments to the operation by reviewing post office surveillance video, fake…

Two recent cases show how an account gets tied to a person In a recent Florida case, according to news reports, a major social media company flagged a file uploaded through its messaging service and sent a tip to law enforcement. Police said internet, cellphone, and email records helped them connect the account to a…

A payment app tip can start an investigation A recent federal case in Michigan began with a tip from a payment app’s parent company. According to news reports, the company flagged a pattern of peer-to-peer transfers, the tip was passed along to law enforcement through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and…

More cameras, and more doubt about what they show Almost everything people do in public is now captured on camera. Home doorbell and security systems such as Ring and Nest, business security cameras, publicly owned cameras, Flock license-plate readers, and store cameras, including those inside grocery stores like Publix, record daily life. Police body cameras…

1. Agents showed up with a search warrant and took my phone and computer. What happens now? If state or federal law enforcement takes your phone or computers as part of an investigation, contact a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. Often there’s no immediate arrest. Instead, devices are taken as part of an…

On August 12, 2020, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Tampa, Florida announced the arrests of 16 men for soliciting sex (Solicitation) with undercover detectives that the Defendants allegedly believed to be minors. The undercover operation was named “Operation Small Talk” by the authorities who engaged in an undercover online chat operation. The charges involve…

Internet Crime Attorney Ron Frey of The Frey Law Firm has once again been recognized by Super Lawyers as a 2019 Super Lawyer. Since being named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2010, Attorney Frey has been recognized by the publication each year since. DISTINCTION Less than 5% of attorneys are recognized as Super…

At the start of a criminal investigation, one of the biggest questions is whether the case will be prosecuted by state or federal authorities. This is not necessarily clear from the outset. One of the surprises for most clients is the fact that many types of alleged criminal conduct can be prosecuted under both state…