Town and Country, MO

Child pornography defense lawyer in Town and Country, MO. Confronting accusations or charges related to the possession or distribution of child pornography poses a significant risk to your personal and professional reputation. If you’re facing charges for possessing or distributing child pornography in Town and Country, MO, you may be looking at serious felony charges and mandatory Missouri sex offender registration upon conviction. It is crucial not to leave your defense to chance in such a critical scenario.

Reach out to the criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte as soon as possible by calling (314) 900-HELP or contacting us online to schedule a complimentary, no-strings-attached case review. Our skilled child pornography defense lawyer is ready to meet with you personally, analyze the details of your case, and offer insights on the appropriate course of action.

What Can Lead to Child Pornography Charges in Town and Country, MO?

Despite prevailing stereotypes, child pornography charges can impact individuals from all walks of life in and around Town and Country, MO. As outlined in Missouri Revised Statute § 573.010, child pornography is defined as any material or performance that is obscene and depicts sexual conduct, contact, or sexual performance, involving a minor under 18 years old as a participant or portrayed observer.

As per RSMo § 573.037, a person commits the offense of child pornography if they knowingly or recklessly possess any child pornography featuring a minor less than 18 years old or obscene material portraying what appears to be a minor under 18 years of age.

A few examples of specific child pornography charges in Town and Country and elsewhere in Missouri are:

• Possessing Child Pornography: The act of having child porn in one’s possession, irrespective of the quantity or form – digital, physical, etc.
• Promoting Child Pornography: Distributing or selling child pornography to an adult, or promoting adult pornography to a minor.
• Sexual Exploitation of a Minor: Filming, photographing, or taking part in any aspect of the creation process of child pornography.

If you are facing charges or have been questioned regarding any of these examples – or any other child pornography charges in the Town and Country, MO area – call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach out to us online. Having an knowledgeable advocate by your side is crucial to safeguarding your reputation, rights, and future.

What Are the Legal Ramifications for Child Pornography in Town and Country, MO?

From a statutory perspective, as outlined in RSMo § 573.037, the offense of child pornography is considered a class D felony when possessing just one still image of child pornography or one still image considered obscene. The severity of the offense escalates to a class B felony in Town and Country, MO if any of the following conditions apply:

• Possess over 20 still images of child pornography
• Possess more than 20 obscene still images
• Possess child pornography in the form of one motion picture, film, videotape, videotape production, or other moving image
• Possess obscene material comprised of one motion picture, film, videotape, videotape production, or other moving image
• Prior conviction for an offense under this section

Penalties for Promotion of Child Pornography in Town and Country, MO

Engaging in the promotion of child pornography to an adult is classified as a class C felony, punishable by up to 7 years in prison and fines. Moreover:

• Knowingly promoting child pornography to a minor or distributing obscene material featuring a child under the age of 14 could escalate the charges to a class B felony – punishable by 5-15 years imprisonment.
• If you have had a previous child pornography conviction, wholesale promotion of child porn, or promoting child porn to a minor in Missouri, it is a class D felony and could mean 4 years in prison and fines.

Legal Ramifications for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in the Town and Country, MO Area

If you are facing sexploitation charges, you are facing a class B felony. However, if the child involved was under 14 years of age the charges are elevated to a class A felony, carrying a minimum prison sentence of 10 years with a maximum of life in prison.

Mandatory Sex Offender Registration in Town and Country, MO and Throughout Missouri

According to RSMo § 589.400, individuals charged with specific crimes are obligated to register with the Missouri Sex Offender Registry within three days of their conviction or release from jail, prision, or probation:

Missouri also breaks down offenders into different tiers for sex offender registration requirements, including:

• Tier I Offenders: These individuals have a 15-year registration requirement and must report to the Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) in person once a year. These offenses do not include child pornography, and are for misdemeanor sexual offenses or minor statutory offenses.
• Tier II Offenders: These have a 25-year registration requirement and must report to the CLEO in person semiannually. Offenses in this category may include possession of child pornography, indecent exposure, and other nonviolent sexual crimes against minors.
• Tier II Offenders: These have a lifetime registration requirement and must report to the CLEO in person every 90 days. Offenses in this category usually involve violent acts like rape, child molestation, sexual assault, as well as repeat offenses.

Penalties for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender in Town and Country, MO

Failure to register as a sex offender is considered a class E felony unless the individual is required to register after being charged with an offense in chapter 566 which was an unclassified felony, a class A or B felony, or a felony involving a child under 14 years of age, in which case it is elevated to a class D felony.

Combs Waterkotte is an award-winning criminal defense law firm based in St. Louis. Along with expert legal representation from our skilled Town and Country, MO child pornography lawyers, we provide help in the following practice areas for clients in Town and Country, MO:

• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer
• Sex Offense Lawyers
• DWI Attorney
• Crime Defense Lawyers
• Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys
• Criminal Lawyer

What Are Common Defenses Against Child Pornography Charges in Town and Country, MO?

The Combs Waterkotte skilled Town and Country, MO child pornography defense team boasts a collective experience of over 60 years, dedicated to defending clients across the Town and Country, MO area in cases similar to yours. While every case is different with unique circumstances, some defense strategies our lawyers have used include:

An Unintentional Possession Defense

The basis of this defense, also commonly referred to as “unintended possession,” is that you didn’t mean to have child porn in your possession, or that the material didn’t belong to you. It may be applicable if child pornography was found on a shared computer or hard drive or on a device accessible to individuals other than yourself without your knowledge. An unintentional download through an unsecured network or the malicious actions of a vengeful ex-spouse or someone else in Town and Country, MO could also be considered.

Your knowledgeable Combs Waterkotte defense attorney can establish the most important factor – that you didn’t possess child pornography to your knowledge. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online.

An Accidental Possession Defense

The internet poses various threats, and your computer may be exposed to viruses, spyware, malware, spam, or other elements without your knowledge. These intrusions could include child pornography or other obscene materials. Many individuals throughout Town and Country and Missouri have files on their computers that they are unaware of. An accidental possession defense argues that you did not knowingly possess child pornography, emphasizing the unintentional nature of its presence on your device.

“Not Child Porn” Defense

This defense challenges the prosecution’s burden to prove that the subject of the material in question was under 18 years of age. Also, if the material in question serves a scientific, religious, or educational purpose it should not be considered child pornography.

Illegal Search and Seizure

Law enforcement often makes procedural errors, violating an individual’s Fourth Amendment rights under the Constitution. The defense team at Combs Waterkotte always has your rights, your future, and your best interests in mind in Town and Country, MO. If evidence was seized illegally, your Town and Country, MO child pornography defense lawyer will argue its inadmissibility.

Entrapment

Entrapment can manifest in various scenarios throughout Missouri. This defense asserts that you would not have committed the offense if law enforcement hadn’t initiated contact with you and persuaded you to do so. In some cases, officers may induce individuals to purchase content that wasn’t clearly labeled or believed to be child porn, only to arrest them for buying child porn. Entrapment happens more often than we might realize, especially in instances where law enforcement conducts child porn sting operations, rounding up a multitude of people, not all of whom are guilty.

Psychological Addiction/Mitigating Circumstances

While not guaranteed to result in acquittal, claiming a psychological addiction to child pornography can serve as a strategy to reduce your sentence or, in some cases, avoid imprisonment through participation in a treatment program and probation. Your Combs Waterkotte Town and Country, MO defense attorney may present various mitigating factors, such as mental health issues, a history of abuse or neglect, extreme stress or anxiety, family conflict, lack of guidance as a child, and more.

Don’t Wait – Contact a Town and Country, MO Child Pornography Defense Lawyer Right Now at Combs Waterkotte

Child pornography charges are serious and can cast enduring, if not permanent, shadows on your reputation and future in Town and Country, MO. However, even in the face of such severity, there exist defenses that can wield effectively by the adept and relentless Combs Waterkotte legal team. Attempting to navigate the uncertainties and intricacies of the legal system in Town and Country or Missouri along is ill-advised.

We know that good people often find themselves caught in bad situations in Town and Country and throughout Missouri. We’re here to help. Call our expert Town and Country, MO child pornography defense lawyers as soon as possible at (314) 900-HELP or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free, confidential case review.