Biography
Dave Townsend is a recognized authority on computer forensics and Cyber-crime investigation, with more than 30 years of police, detective and cyber forensic experience including many high profile assignments with the Silicon Valley High Tech Crimes Task Force and the FBI.
Dave most recently managed the data loss prevention team for Kaiser Permanente. He was part of the cyber threats and investigative services. Dave is currently managing partner & CEO of Townsend, Carden & Rose, Inc., a digital expert firm located in the Silicon Valley.
Dave is a former member of the FBI REACT (Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team) Task Force where he investigated numerous high technology crimes as well as developed, designed and implemented training to investigators and staff on tools, resources and investigative techniques in computer crime.
Dave was the computer forensics consultant for Mark Geragos during the Scott Peterson double homicide, during this case; Dave conducted analysis on 5 computers belonging to Scott and Laci Peterson. People V. Michael Jackson, Dave was the expert computer forensic analyst for attorney Susan Yu and examined 14 computers from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. In addition, Dave was the expert for the defense when John Mark Karr, suspect in JonBenét Ramsey murder case, was extradited from Bangkok Thailand and brought to trial on charges in California. Aside from these well known cases, Dave has been an expert consultant and subject matter expert for law firms and corporations on the best practices, procedures, and investigations relating to data collection, cyber forensics, cyber security.
Dave has conducted computer forensics on many large cases within the biomedical fields, global internet service providers, network hardware markets involving intellectual property theft, employment law, wills', trusts and probate.
Dave is a Certified Computer Crimes Expert by the State of California, Peace Officers Standards and Testing (POST). He has served as an expert witness in criminal and civil cases for the United States Federal Court San Jose, California; the Stanislaus County Superior Court; and the San Francisco County Superior Court.