The state of Ohio, and police and prosecutors in Cleveland, have a vested interest in ensuring that when a citizen is ordered to do something by a person displaying law enforcement insignia, that the insignia is valid and the person displaying it is properly empowered to conduct their activities. To this end, it is a crime in Ohio to put law enforcement insignia on your vehicle, and doing so can result in charges of Unlawful…
Tampering with Records Ohio When a person with no privilege to do so, and with the purpose to defraud another falsifies, destroys, removes, conceals, alter, or defaces writing, computer software, data, or a record, or transmits that false record knowing it has been tampered with, they may be charged with Tampering with Records (O.R.C. 2913.42) by Cleveland prosecutors. Misdemeanor vs. Felony Tampering with Records in OH Depending on the circumstances, you may be charged with…
Ohio Bad Check Law While most people are familiar with the idea of writing a check when there’s not enough money in the account to cover it, Ohio’s Passing Bad Checks law (O.R.C. 2913.11) also applies to electronic transfers, debit cards, and any other instance of fraudulently debiting funds that you know will be dishonored, or where a stop payment order will be issued. It also applies when you reference an account that doesn’t exist…
Unauthorized Use of Property (O.R.C. 2913.04) The unauthorized use of property statute is one of several “cybercrime” laws on the books in Ohio, and it makes it a crime to access computers or computer networks, cable devices or networks, and telecommunication devices or services, without the consent of the owner or beyond the scope of the “implied consent” of the owner. It also criminalizes the dissemination of materials gained through unauthorized use of property. The…