Stamford Child Pornography Lawyer
Connecticut has incredibly strict child pornography laws. These charges are classified as possession of child pornography, and are brought with varying degrees. The penalties for such a charge can be incredibly severe, landing an individual as a convicted sex offender with the possibility of hefty fines and lengthy periods of incarceration.
If you have found yourself facing a child pornography charge, it is pertinent that you take legal action as soon as possible. Consult with a knowledgeable Stamford child pornography attorney immediately to begin crafting a case to assist in reducing or dismissing any penalties you may be facing.
Severity of the Charge
There are both federal and state child pornography laws in Connecticut. With federal laws, the mandatory minimums for federal child pornography are much lengthier. Federal prosecutors usually do not get involved unless there is evidence and they are accusing an individual of producing child pornography.
If an individual is accused in Stamford of possession of child pornography or downloading it off of the Internet, they can assume the state court may have tracked the online activity from observing them on peer to peer software. This is a file sharing software where both the government and Connecticut investigators can see what files an individual is downloading.
The government has a database and a registry of pornographic films that they know to be illegal, and have witnesses to testify to such. If the government finds an individual downloading any films or photographs on that registry, they can prove that what the individual was possessing or viewing is actual child pornography. Due to the severity of such a charge, it is important that any individual accused contact a Stamford child pornography lawyer immediately.
Search of the Premises
Child pornography cases usually begin with the police seizing an individual’s computers, iPhones, iPads, and tablets. At this time, the person accused should not make any statements to anyone. It is important that any individual does not make any statements that can incriminate them. Police will usually not arrest a person on the scene, and will bring the seized computer and electronics to the lab for examination and investigation.
Discarding Illegal Materials
If an individual has downloaded illegal porn and put it in the trash folder on their computer, it is still an illegal act. Should an individual feel like they have accidentally downloaded illegal pornography, they will need to call a Stamford child pornography lawyer right away.
Federal and state funds are being spent on child pornography enforcement, and technology teams are ramping up in Connecticut and Stamford. In some child pornography cases, there are undercover agents that visit internet chat rooms to try to get a person arrested for enticing a minor, and risk of injury to a minor.
A Stamford child pornography lawyer will try to prove to the state that the individual in question did not have intent, even though possessing child pornography is a strict liability crime. If an individual did not intend to download this porn and they can prove that, it would be very helpful for their case. It also may help an individual avoid all of the mandatory minimums for the first, second, and third-degree child pornography crimes.
Potential Penalties
Child pornography charges are taken seriously, and the penalties are a lot more severe than other sex crimes. Someone found with child pornography on their computer or phone is going to face mandatory jail time in a lot of instances. Also, everything that a person does on their computer is discoverable; the police and federal agents can find it regardless if the person deletes it.
Stamford has a lot of officers highly trained in computer crimes. They often do these investigations undercover by posing as other people looking for child pornography online. It is through these undercover sting operations that they end up arresting a lot of people.
There are lots of statutes that deal with possession of child pornography and include penalties of mandatory jail time. The penalties depend on how many visual depictions a person has on their computer. For example, if someone has 50 or more visual depictions of child pornography and they are found or plead guilty to it, there is going to be a sentence to a mandatory minimum of five years in jail. That can then be suspended or reduced by the court depending on the specific factors of the case.
Importance of an Expert Witness
Many times, expert testimony in a child pornography defense is very important. Having an expert forensically examine the seized computers can be crucial in defending such a charge.
Child pornography lawyers will often enlist the services of the Connecticut Association for the Treatment of Sex Offenders (CATSO) as soon as possible. CATSO is a group of certified therapists who are looked upon favorably by State of Connecticut prosecutors.
Benefits of an Attorney
In these situations, it is important that any person involved contact a Stamford child pornography lawyer as soon as possible. The penalties for such a charge can be incredibly severe, and should not be handled by the accused individual alone. Often, the person accused will be incredibly overwhelmed by the legal process and unable to properly defend themselves. An experienced lawyer will be able to look at all the gathered evidence and mount an effective defense to help lessen any potential penalties.