Simon Frankel (or Urkel according to Tony DiNozzo) was a hacker who was interviewed by NCIS during their investigation into the death of Marine Sergeant Joseph Turner and Petty Officer Finnegan Blake's mysterious disappearance and eventual murder. Eager to prove himself, he began sending encoded IM messages to the NCIS team, giving them hints about the case and one of these clues led them to the mysterious group known as "Red Cell". Frankel was arrested after NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee realized the truth and Anthony DiNozzo interrogated Frankel.