This weekend’s “Catch a Predator”-type police sex sting in Fairfield Connecticut resulted in 10 arrests in Fairfield Connecticut for Criminal Attempt of Sexual Assault in the First Degree, and Criminal Attempt of Risk of Injury. Following the “Catch a Predator” playbook, Fairfield Police detectives lured people from the area (as well as out-of-state) into traveling to Connecticut to engage in sexual contact with underaged children. The reality is that it was a sting—meaning Fairfield Police set the whole thing up, and that criminal conduct could not have possibly occurred because Fairfield police were fishing, (or “phishing” and “trolling”) internet chat rooms to target some of these individuals who allegedly took the bait and solicited Fairfield Connecticut Police undercover sex crimes detectives for sexual contact.
Are stings like these even legal? For now, yes, but top Fairfield and Bridgeport Connecticut criminal lawyers and attorneys are learning how to most effectively fight these Fairfield Connecticut Risk of Injury arrests…
It’s a complicated question that the best Connecticut criminal lawyers have wrestled with since police “Catch a Predator” styled stings have grown in popularity, as conceived and publicized originally by Connecticut resident Chris Hansen. While the purpose of Fairfield Connecticut Catch a Predator Stings is well-intentioned, the ethics and police tactics are aggressive and arguably unconstitutional. The top Fairfield and Bridgeport Connecticut sex crimes criminal lawyers would insist that these are clear cases of entrapment. And they are not far off. Clearly the undercover detectives are encouraging the criminal misconduct. The undercovers are a direct, but-for, and causal link between the suspect and the criminal conduct. They exacerbate the conduct by escalating the criminal dialogue and narrative. That’s why your top Connecticut criminal lawyers and attorneys must fight these Fairfield Connecticut Risk of Injury cases by subpoenaing all of the email chat room logs, scripts and protocols that these Fairfield Connecticut sex sting operations employ during these stings. Click here for more on understanding Fairfield Connecticut Risk of Injury arrests and fighting your Fairfield Connecticut Risk of Injury arrest to a dismissal.
Another legal technicality that baffles some of the best Bridgeport, Fairfield and Connecticut lawyers who specialize in criminal law and Sexual Assault arrests is how Fairfield police can prove a case of attempted sexual assault when a party to the crime is an undercover officer. While this is technically a valid arrest, it is tainted by the fact that the undercover was working with the sole intent to entrap these individuals, using legal terms that they knew would solidify a criminal arrest (and possibly a Risk of Injury conviction) against these suspects. We all know that the internet can be a dangerous breeding ground for sexual predators; however, it is also a platform for people to play out First Amendment / constitutionally protected fantasies, no matter how bizarre and sexually-charged the fantasies are, but so long as individuals do not act on fantasies which would be considered illegal conduct under Connecticut sex crimes laws. Follow this link to read more about fighting Sexual Assault arrests in Fairfield and Bridgeport Connecticut.
So if you have been arrested for Risk of Injury or Attempt at Sexual Assault – First Degree in Fairfield Connecticut, or anywhere else, consider consulting with an experienced Connecticut sex crimes criminal attorney lawyer at Mark Sherman Law who can help you (1) craft the most aggressive defense, and (2) throw a wrench into these trumped up and made-for-TV “Catch a Predator” stings, sometimes at the cost of your constitutional rights. Call us today at (203) 358-4700.
