Peter Garza

Early Life and Education

Peter Garza was born on August 6, 1960. He earned a Master of Science in Information Systems from Claremont Graduate University in 2001, grounding his investigative practice in formal academic study of information systems.

Career

Naval Criminal Investigative Service

Garza began his career in cybercrime investigation as a Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). In that role, he conducted what became the first court-ordered Internet wiretap in the United States, a milestone in the history of digital law enforcement. The wiretap was central to the investigation of Julio Cesar Ardita, known online as "El Griton," an Argentine national who used compromised user accounts at Harvard University to infiltrate government and university computer systems in the United States and abroad. Ardita was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice and pleaded guilty on May 19, 1998, in the United States District Court of Massachusetts to unlawfully intercepting electronic communications and damaging files on military computer systems.

Private Sector and EvidentData

Following his government service, Garza founded EvidentData, Inc., a private-sector investigative firm specializing in computer forensics. The company was subsequently acquired by First Advantage. Garza departed First Advantage in 2009 to establish Data Forté, continuing his work in digital forensics and cybercrime investigation.

Notable Work

Garza has served as an expert witness in several high-profile civil cases, with his forensic testimony proving consequential to jury outcomes.

In Beckman Coulter Inc. v. Dovatron International Inc., Garza provided expert testimony concerning altered electronic documents. The case resulted in a $934 million jury award. In Steinberg, Moorad & Dunn, Inc. v. Dunn, a dispute brought by sports agent Leigh Steinberg against former partner David Dunn, Garza testified regarding critical data that had been deleted but remained recoverable through forensic methods. That case resulted in a $45 million jury award.

Teaching and Academic Contributions

In addition to his investigative and consulting work, Garza developed and taught a graduate course in computer forensics at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, contributing to the formal academic training of the next generation of digital investigators.

Legacy

Garza's role in executing the first court-ordered Internet wiretap in the United States placed him at a pivotal moment in the evolution of cybercrime law and digital investigation. His subsequent career in private forensics and expert testimony has reinforced his standing as a significant figure in the field of computer forensics in the United States.