Ridgefield Sexting Lawyer
If your child is facing criminal charges for sending or receiving nude images of themselves or another minor, you should strongly consider speaking with a Ridgefield sexting lawyer as soon as possible.
How Is Sexting Different From Possession of Child Pornography?
Adult possession of child pornography is generally far more serious that a minor who is caught in a sexting situation. To learn more about adult possession charges, click here.
While not prosecuted as harshly as adult child pornography offenses in most situations, a juvenile court adjudication of guilt for underage “sexting” can still have serious repercussions on a young person’s life, especially if they try to fight their case without help from a seasoned defense attorney.
Is Sexting a Juvenile Offense in Ridgefield?
State law defines the offense of “possessing or transmitting child pornography by minor” separately from other child pornography offenses, as the original intent of this law was to protect minors from making unfortunate decisions during adolescence that could hurt them later on in life. According to Connecticut General Statutes §53a-196h, a person under 16 cannot send sexually explicit depictions of themselves to another minor under 18 via an electronic communication device, and a person under 18 cannot knowingly receive a sexually explicit depiction of a person under 16 sent to them via electronic means by the depicted individual.
Instead of adult criminal court, these cases almost always proceed through juvenile court, where the most an “adjudication” of guilty could result in is a period of probation, smaller fines, and potentially confinement in juvenile detention for a maximum of 18 months. However, it is still best to work with a Ridgefield sexting attorney to contest a juvenile adjudication appearing on a minor’s record if possible, as this kind of ruling could still impact their professional and educational opportunities.
Do Sexting Allegations Ever End Up in Adult Criminal Court?
Sometimes, yes. Technically, C.G.S. §53a-196h classifies this offense as a class A misdemeanor, which in a typical criminal case would expose an adult defendant to a maximum of $2,000 in fines and a year-long jail sentence upon conviction. Again, though, the purpose of this law is to distinguish minors making unwise decisions from adults intentionally possessing and distributing illicit material, so minors charged with “sexting” rarely face prosecution in criminal court.
Even if a minor has a prior record of juvenile court adjudications for other offenses, they would almost never face prosecution as an adult for a “sexting” offense that meets the strict definition noted above. Importantly, though, this section of state law does not apply to situations where a minor receives a sexually explicit image from another minor and then distributes it to multiple other people, or when a minor receives sexually explicit images from someone under the age of 13.
In these circumstances, adult child pornography laws may apply instead, potentially exposing a teenage defendant to felony charges that could alter the course of their life permanently. A sexting lawyer in Ridgefield could offer clarification about these kinds of scenarios and provide irreplaceable legal support in the face of any such prosecutorial effort.
A Ridgefield Sexting Attorney Could Help
Even though it almost always constitutes a juvenile offense, criminal charges for “sexting” can still have a significant negative impact on a teenager’s life. Ridgefield sexting lawyer could answer your questions and help you fight your case, check out our hundreds of client reviews and call today.