Pumphrey Law Blog

May 2, 2024 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements, Sex Crimes, Social Media Social Share

Just weeks after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 3 to prevent certain minors from obtaining social media accounts, the platform Instagram has announced new methods and tools being used to combat online predators. Since the measures under HB 3 won’t go into effect until January of next year, Instagram’s steps in preventing online sextortion will apply to minors in …

May 2, 2024 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, Social Media Social Share

Despite the recent legal changes over minors’ use of social media, young children are still able to use sites like TikTok until the law goes into effect later this year. One of the consequences of this is potential crimes being committed against children online. In one recent case out of Florida, the parent of a middle schooler has been arrested …

March 20, 2024 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, Social Media, Theft/Property Crimes Social Share

Federal prosecutors have secured the conviction of a Chicago-based man accused of a phishing scheme that targeted over seven hundred women. After using the social media platform Snapchat to target college-aged women, the suspect would use their personal information, even obtaining private nude images from the accounts. This page will provide the case details, along with information pertaining to phishing …

March 19, 2024 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, Juvenile Offenses, Social Media Social Share

Page Updated April 30, 2024 A potential Florida bill has just one more stop before it legally prohibits minors from certain social media platforms. Referred to as HB 1, the initial proposed legislation passed in both the House and the Senate, meaning it only needed to be signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis before codified into law. The bill is …

June 9, 2023 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements, Social Media Social Share

As May marks the Older Americans and Elder Law Month, Attorney General Ashley Moody released a guide to educate and warn senior citizens of the dangers of cybercrimes. The guide lists the most common schemes against elderly Floridians online, along with helpful tips on how to spot, report, and avoid falling victim to an online scheme. The following is a …

May 29, 2023 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, Juvenile Offenses, Social Media Social Share

If you are suspected of committing a crime, it is important to know that police can view your social media account for any incriminating evidence. In one recent Florida case, a suspect in Miami-Dade was arrested in connection to a crime after posting an image on Instagram with the alleged weapon. This page will provide the case details, along with …

April 7, 2023 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements, Sex Crimes, Social Media Social Share

It is important to remember while social media can be a fun, free place to share our thoughts and ideas, it does not make it private. More than that, it does not mean that our posted content cannot be used against us in court. It’s quite the opposite—communication from social media sites is legal to use as evidence in court. …

March 15, 2023 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements, Sex Crimes, Social Media Social Share

Sexual cyberharassment, or “revenge porn,” is the act of sharing or distributing sexually explicit images or videos of another person without their consent. This may occur if the person wants to embarrass, humiliate, or harm the depicted person. In Florida, revenge porn is an unlawful act, and can result in criminal charges. Violations of Florida law can result in criminal …

March 1, 2023 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements, Social Media, Violent Crimes Social Share

Two weeks after several middle school students were arrested for making mass shooting depictions on TikTok, a Manatee County judge has determined there is no probable cause to continue detaining the preteens. However, they are potentially facing felony charges for written or online threats of mass shootings. This page will provide details from the case, along with information pertaining to …