McKinney Online Solicitation of a Minor Defense Lawyers
Attorneys Addressing Sex Crime Charges Involving Soliciting Minors Online in McKinney, TX
People use the internet for many purposes, including sexual gratification. Many of these activities are legal, but in some cases, people may be accused of engaging in activities that constitute sex crimes. When someone has allegedly communicated with a minor online and attempted to engage in illegal sexual activities, they could face child sex crime charges.
These charges can turn a person's life upside down, and they may be based on a series of text messages or online conversations without any physical contact. Some people may be arrested after communicating with law enforcement officers who posed as children during online investigations. The legal issues addressed in these cases can be complex, and a person will need a defense attorney who understands the best defense strategies to help avoid a conviction. At Texas Defense Firm, we can provide the legal help people need in these situations.
How Online Solicitation of a Minor Is Defined
A person may face criminal charges if they have been accused of communicating with a minor in a sexually explicit way, distributing pornographic materials to minors, or taking other actions with the intent to commit a child sex crime such as sexual assault or indecency with a child. Charges may also be based on accusations that a person attempted to make arrangements to meet a child in person and engage in illegal sexual activities.
Communication with a person under the age of 17 by an adult could lead to these types of charges, even if an in-person meeting never took place. The other party did not have to be an actual minor. If the accused person believed that they were communicating with someone who was under the age of 17, they may face criminal charges.
Situations that may lead to charges of online solicitation of a minor include:
- Messaging exchanges that began on a social media platform, gaming service, or messaging app and led to sexually explicit conversations
- Communications with someone that a person believed to be a minor based on a dating profile, social media profile, or other information available online
- Arranging or attempting to arrange an in-person meeting following an online conversation
Effects That an Accusation of Online Solicitation of a Child Can Have on a Person's Life
The consequences of an arrest and a conviction for online solicitation of a minor can affect nearly every part of a person's life. They may include:
- Criminal Penalties: A person who is accused of communicating with a minor online may be charged with a third-degree felony, and they could be sentenced to between two and 10 years in prison. If a person is charged with an offense involving an attempt to meet a minor offline, they may be charged with a second-degree felony, with penalties that may include a prison sentence lasting for two to 20 years.
- Sex Offender Registration: A conviction or deferred adjudication for online solicitation of a minor or other similar child sex crimes will typically require a person to register as a sex offender. The minimum period of registration is usually 10 years, but in some cases, lifetime registration may be required.
- Residency Restrictions: Registered sex offenders are prohibited from living within a certain distance of schools, parks, playgrounds, and other locations where children may be present. This can limit the areas where a person can live, making it difficult to find housing.
- Employment Restrictions: Many employers will not hire registered sex offenders. People who have been convicted of child sex crimes will usually be prohibited from working in jobs that involve contact with children.
- Family Consequences: A conviction or an accusation of a child sex crime may affect child custody arrangements. A parent may be restricted from seeing or spending time with their children without supervision, and they may not be able to visit children's schools or participate in sports or other activities.
Defense Strategies When Addressing Charges of Online Solicitation
In many cases, online solicitation charges are based on undercover investigations, and a person may have never communicated with an actual child. Our attorneys can determine whether entrapment may have occurred during these investigations. We may show that an officer encouraged a person to commit a criminal offense, coerced them into doing so, or took other actions to cause a person to do something that they would not have done on their own. We can review communication logs and other evidence to determine whether officers used persuasion, pressure, or other conduct that led a law-abiding person to engage in inappropriate conduct.
It may also be possible to argue that a person believed that they were communicating with an adult rather than a minor. We can provide evidence showing that our client genuinely believed that a person was an adult based on their stated age, information in dating profiles, photographs posted online, or other details related to the communications that occurred. Charges of online solicitation require an intent to engage in illegal sexual activities with a minor, and we can take steps to demonstrate that there was no intent to do anything with someone other than an adult.
In some cases, we may challenge whether the communications that occurred may be considered sexually explicit, or we may look at whether law enforcement officers followed the right procedures when documenting and preserving digital evidence. We will make sure our clients understand their options, and we will advocate for solutions that will help them resolve these cases while avoiding felony convictions.
Contact Our McKinney, Texas Online Solicitation Defense Attorneys
The penalties a person may face when they have been charged with online sex crimes involving minors can be serious. At Texas Defense Firm, our attorneys will work to protect the rights of people in these situations. We will build successful defense strategies to help clients respond to the accusations they are facing and avoid a conviction whenever possible. Contact our McKinney online solicitation of a minor defense lawyers at 972-369-0577 to arrange a free consultation.
