Regional Computer Forensics Laboratories
Fighting violent crime and protecting national security one byte at a time
RCFL workstations are equipped to exploit many different types of electronic devices. With phones now holding half a terabyte—the equivalent to multiple movies or tens of thousands of photos—the forensic team is constantly faced with sifting through an overwhelming amount of information.
For most of us, it’s a familiar frustration: getting locked out of your phone after forgetting a password or trying to fix a water-damaged device. For the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL) teams, the situation is more urgent. Every successfully accessed device—whether it’s a phone found at the scene of a homicide investigation or a computer linked to crimes against children—is a potentially critical piece of an investigation puzzle.
RCFLs are part of a national network of state-of-the-art, full-service forensics laboratories and training centers sponsored by the FBI. The FBI provides the facility, equipment, training, and operational funding, with partner agencies assigning personnel to help staff the laboratory.
Each of the FBI’s 17 labs focuses on extracting and analyzing digital evidence—pulled from devices like mobile phones and computers—in support of federal, state, and local investigations. Whether it’s in support of a terrorism, violent crime, or child sexual abuse material case, RCFL examiners are capable of locating deleted, encrypted, or damaged files and data that may serve as evidence in a criminal or national security investigation.
The lab in Kansas City, Missouri, known as the Heart of America RCFL, serves as a critical resource for some of the region’s most complex cases involving digital forensics. Detective Josh Clevenger of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department has been part of the Heart of America RCFL task force since 2010 and cites partnership and collaboration as a core of the program. Before joining, his expertise was in building computers, a skillset that sparked his interest in the digital-forensics world.
“This job came open, and it was like a dream job,” said Clevenger. “Knowing what they do made me want to come here and be part of the RCFL.”
“We’re always fighting to figure out the new way to get past a locked phone or an encrypted drive.”
Det. Jason Steinke, deputy director, Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory
In their own words
Today, much of Clevenger’s work revolves around extracting data from mobile devices—some as powerful as computers—storing information like text messages, photos, and geolocation data.
But what happens when a phone is locked, damaged, or encrypted? Forensic experts like Clevenger are experts at cracking the code.
“Encryption is the hardest thing to get past,” said Detective Jason Steinke, a 30-year veteran with the Kansas City Police and deputy director of the Heart of America RCFL. “We’re always fighting to figure out the new way to get past a locked phone or an encrypted drive.”
“Think of it like picking a lock,” Clevenger explained. “The device manufacturers place blocks in between the data and us being able to get to it. So, we use a lot of different tools to get past those.”
“These are good for the consumer,” he continued. “There is personally identifiable information you wouldn’t want anybody to know about like health data and bank data on your phone. It just makes our job harder in the beginning.”
This tenacity has earned them a reputation not just within law enforcement but among criminal investigators nationwide. Together, RCFLs are tackling everything from large-scale financial fraud to the most disturbing cases of child exploitation.
“We don’t take no for an answer,” said Steinke. If someone says a device can’t be accessed, he and his team won’t just give up. They will figure out a way.
Picking the lock is just part one. According to Clevenger, the second part is the most important. He and his team not only have to extract the data, but they have to make it readable by humans and understandable to investigators and a potential jury.
The lab played a critical role in bringing closure to the 2017 disappearance of 20-year-old Toni Anderson, whose case had gone cold. Speculation about Anderson’s death drove headlines across the country.
An examiner at the Heart of America RCFL in Kansas City assists an officer in reviewing a cell phone in the facility’s self-service cell phone kiosk.
Two months after her disappearance, Anderson’s body was found inside her vehicle, 20 feet underwater in the Missouri River. The Heart of America RCFL recovered data from Anderson’s phone that had been in the river for months. The phone was nearly destroyed—bent, corroded, and encrusted with mud.
“I spent a week cleaning it, and finally it started up,” said Steinke.
He was able to exploit the data, and it answered a lot of questions, corroborating everyone’s stories and showing that there was no foul play.
The lab’s workload has shifted in recent years. While cases of child sexual abuse material still account for a significant portion of the team’s caseload, homicides and assaults have become a growing focus. With digital evidence becoming integral to nearly every violent crime investigation, the demand for forensics experts has never been higher.
“When lives are at stake, minutes and seconds count, and it’s important to be able to get the data when we need to get it.”
Josh Clevenger, detective, Kansas City Missouri Police Department
With phones now holding half a terabyte—the equivalent to multiple movies or tens of thousands of photos—the forensic team is constantly faced with sifting through an overwhelming amount of information.
“You’re trying to find a needle in a haystack,” said Steinke. “There are times we’re looking for something specific, and it could be hidden within the system files on the computer. It makes it difficult.”
The team’s work extends beyond the physical laboratory. A mobile forensics lab—a van outfitted with all the tools and equipment needed—allows the team to deploy on-site to investigations. The mobile lab gives investigators the ability to access networks and devices and get to work immediately.
“In cases of violent crime or kidnapping, you don’t have time to wait,” said Clevenger. “When lives are at stake, minutes and seconds count, and it’s important to be able to get the data when we need to get it.”
The mobile lab can be on-site, pulling data right away and passing it along to the investigators. The team’s expertise and technology also mean that they’re able to act discreetly, which is crucial for sensitive investigations.
“Through the work of the RCFL, we’ve been able to solve hundreds of local, state, and federal crimes including homicides, terrorism cases, violent crimes, and hold accountable child predators,” said Stephen A. Cyrus, FBI special agent in charge of the Kansas City Field Office in Missouri. “Thanks to the work of FBI personnel and task force officers from all our partner agencies, the RCFL has truly ensured safer communities throughout Kansas and Missouri.”
As a team, the Heart of America RCFL has assisted in solving some of the region’s most high-profile and sensitive cases. But what truly makes this group of experts stand out is their unity and unwavering dedication.
“We’re a family here,” says Steinke. “If someone has a problem, we all come together to help.”
As law enforcement continues to face new threats in the digital age, the FBI’s RCFLs, with cutting-edge technology, expertise, and partnerships, remain a vital force in defending our communities and upholding justice.
