Connecticut Commercial Sex Abuse of a Minor Lawyer

Connecticut prosecutors and court authorities tend to come down harshly on people accused of sexually exploiting children younger than 18, especially if the accused party does not have a skilled private defense attorney on their side. By working with a Connecticut commercial sex abuse of a minor lawyer from Mark Sherman Law, though, you can give yourself the best possible chances of resolving your case favorably for you.

Commercial Sex Abuse of a Minor as Defined by State Law

Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-83b is the section of state law that defines “Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor” as a distinct criminal act. It is one of several statutes dedicated to various forms of “commercial sexual activity,” which broadly entails someone exchanging, agreeing to exchange, or offering to exchange anything of value as payment for sexual contact or intercourse with another person.

Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor specifically entails engaging in any of those three forms of commercial sexual activity to facilitate a sexual encounter with someone under the age of 18. It is equally unlawful to arrange or attempt to arrange such an encounter directly with the minor in question as it is to arrange or attempt to arrange it through a third party.

As a Connecticut Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor attorney can further explain, the statute also notes that soliciting sex from someone “reasonably believe[d] to be a minor” also qualifies as commercial sexual abuse of a minor. Either way, this offense is categorized as a Class B Felony unless the minor in question is under the age of 15 at the time of the offense, in which the charge will be upgraded to a Class A felony. 

What Must Prosecutors Prove to Convict Someone of Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor?

Prosecutors must prove all the following things to obtain a conviction for a charge of Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Connecticut:

• The defendant attempted to, offered to, or successfully did engage in sexual contact or intercourse with a third party;
• The third party was under the age of 18 at the time of the sexual encounter;
• The encounter was predicated upon the defendant providing something of value to the minor involved in the encounter and/or a third party facilitating the encounter; 
• The defendant knew, reasonably believed, or reasonably should have known the person they were engaging in sexual activity with was under the age of 18 at the time.

If any of these elements cannot be established beyond a reasonable doubt, a skilled lawyer may be able to use that as an effective defense against prosecution.

Discuss Your Legal Options with a Connecticut Commercial Sex Abuse of a Minor Attorney

Regardless of how the charge itself arises or what your past criminal history looks like, being formally accused of paying a minor or a third party in exchange for a sexual encounter with a minor is a very serious criminal offense in Connecticut. Acting proactively soon after being charged with this type of crime can make a world of difference in how your case plays out and what outcome it ultimately has.

With that in mind, contacting a Connecticut commercial sex abuse of a minor lawyer should be your top priority in the wake of an arrest or even at the start of an investigation related to this offense. Call Mark Sherman Law today to schedule a consultation, or see what past clients have said about working with us by visiting our Avvo.com profile here.