The Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (CCU) is a multi-faceted entity designed to primarily assist law enforcement officers and prosecutors in Maine with digital forensics and cellular network analysis in the investigation and prosecution of homicides, crimes against children and other egregious crimes against persons. CCU also serves as the clearing house and primary investigative entity into internet crimes against children (ICAC) as defined below.
ICAC is a federal anti-crime initiative funded by the US Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. It is a collaboration of city, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies whose mission is to identify, arrest, and prosecute individuals who: (1) use the Internet to lure minors into illicit sexual relationships; or (2) use the Internet to produce, distribute or solicit child sexual abuse material (child pornography). This is accomplished through internally developed investigations and cooperation with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) who facilitate cyber tips to the task force. Since its inception, the number of cyber tips received each year has increased exponentially resulting in hundreds of crimes against children investigated by the unit every year.
The Computer Crimes Unit is headquartered at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy with primary satellite units in Lewiston, Bangor, and Portland. The Unit (along with its primary satellites) is comprised of three sections that work together and with federal, state, county and local agencies to accomplish its mission. The ICAC investigation team has 2 sergeants, 6 full time detectives/special agents, 2 task force officers and over 40 affiliate investigators statewide and is closely supported by a planning and research associate. The Digital Forensics Analysis Lab has 1 forensic analysis supervisor and 9 computer forensic analysts. The Cellular and Technical Analysis section has 3 detectives. The unit has 1 lieutenant and is closely supported by 1 office specialist along with on-going support from the Maine Office of the Attorney General.