By Jennifer Amy Myers, Lowell Sun
Article Last Updated: 09/06/2007 11:38:47 AM EDT

CAMBRIDGE — In an attempt to crack down on Internet predators trolling for sex or money from their victims, Middlesex County District Attorney Gerry Leone has established a Cyber Protection Program, a team of attorneys, investigators and forensic scientists assigned specifically to computer-generated crimes.

The unit will investigate and prosecute crimes, as well as work with local law-enforcement agencies to provide countywide training as well as bolster school and community-based prevention programs and launch pilot initiatives.

Billerica police Sgt. Roy Frost calls the program “a step forward for Middlesex County.”

He said Internet-related crimes with sexual and financial components have skyrocketed in the past few years, but unless the case involves a financial loss of more than $10,000 or an imminent physical threat, it’s likely to “fall through the cracks,” because local departments lack administrative subpoena powers.

“If we want to prosecute a case, we need the district attorney to convince a grand jury to issue a subpoena for the suspect’s Internet provider,” said Frost. He added that both Leone’s program and Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Cyber Crime Division will make investigating these crimes easier.

Of the 150 Massachusetts police and law-enforcement departments that responded to a statewide survey conducted by Coakley’s office earlier this year, 13,184 cyber-related investigations were conducted in 2006, with fraud, criminal threats and forgery topping the list, followed by larceny, drugs and on-line child solicitation and pornography.

“The Internet is an ever-growing and increasingly important part of all of our lives,” Leone said. “But as it grows, it unfortunately also becomes the weapon of choice for predators and others seeking to exploit children, the elderly and other victims. That is why we are creating this team of highly qualified prosecutors and investigators to specifically focus on the protection of people on the Internet, from combating cyber crimes to prosecuting online child abusers and predators.”

Leone’s Cyber Protection Program includes Assistant District Attorney Dana Leccese, formerly the Internet Crimes Against Children Prosecutor at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, as the coordinator and lead prosecutor for the enforcement unit; Massachusetts State Trooper Matt Murphy, one of the state’s top cyber-crime investigators; and state Trooper Katrina Mazzie, who will also be responsible for investigations and enforcement matters.