Digital Evidence

The OSBI Digital Evidence Unit (DEU) is attached to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) region within the OSBI Investigative Services Division.  The DEU is housed at the OSBI Headquarters building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The DEU specializes in the preservation, acquisition, processing, and analysis of evidence in a digital format. Digital evidence seized at crime scenes may contain vital evidence. Digital forensic analysis provides law enforcement agencies with the recovery and analysis of digital evidence, especially in crimes involving children.

The Digital Evidence Unit works closely with the ICAC Special Agents, ICAC Triage Analysts, ICAC Technical Investigators, and ICAC Criminalists.  Crimes against children such as sexual exploitation of a child, indecent liberties, statutory rape, and child pornography, account for the majority of digital evidence submissions. Other cases involve homicides, rape, conspiracy to commit murder, financial crimes, computer crimes, fraud, identity theft, property crimes, and drug offenses.

After processing the evidence, a detailed exhibit report of the analysis and any pertinent data recovered will be prepared and disseminated. Also, upon request, Digital Evidence Unit Criminalists will testify in criminal proceedings as an expert witness in the area of digital evidence.