Lafayette, MO

Child pornography defense lawyer in Lafayette, MO. Confronting accusations or charges related to the possession or distribution of child pornography poses a significant risk to your personal and professional standing. If you find your accused of possessing or distributing child pornography in Lafayette, MO, you may be confronted with serious felony charges and mandatory Missouri sex offender registration upon conviction. It is vital not to leave your defense to chance in such a critical scenario.

Call the criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte immediately at (314) 900-HELP or reach out to us online for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our expert child pornography defense lawyer will meet with you one-and-one, discuss the specifics of your case, and provide guidance on next steps.

What Can Lead to Child Pornography Charges in Lafayette, MO?

Despite prevailing stereotypes, child pornography charges can impact individuals from all walks of life throughout the Lafayette, MO area. 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, an individual is charged with the offense of child pornography if such person knowingly or recklessly possesses any child pornography of a minor under 18 years of age or obscene material portraying what appears to be a minor less than 18 years old.

A few examples of specific child pornography charges in the Lafayette, MO area 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: Encompasses filming, photographing, or participating 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 Lafayette, MO area – call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach out to us online. You need an experienced advocate on your side to protect your reputation, rights, and future.

What Are the Legal Ramifications for Child Pornography in Lafayette, 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 Lafayette, MO if any of the following conditions apply:

• Possess more than 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
• Have previously been found guilty of an offense under this section

Legal Ramifications for Promotion of Child Pornography in and Around Lafayette, 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. Additionally:

• If you knowingly promote child porn to a minor, or promote obscene material of a child under 14 years of age, you could be facing a class B felony – punishable by 5-15 years imprisonment.
• Lafayette, MO residents with a prior child pornography conviction, engaging in widespread promotion of child pornography or promoting it to a minor, may face a class D felony, punishable by 4 years in prison and fines.

Legal Ramifications for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in the Lafayette, MO Area

Charges related to sexual exploitation of a minor are categorized as a class B felony. However, if the child involved was under the age of 14 the charges are elevated to a class A felony, which carries a minimum prison sentence of 10 years with a maximum of life in prison.

Mandatory Sex Offender Registration in Lafayette, MO and Throughout Missouri

Under 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 classifies offenders into different tiers for sex offender registration requirements. Those include:

• 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 typically include misdemeanor sexual offenses or minor statutory offenses.
• Tier II Offenders: Offenders in this tier face a 25-year registration requirement and must report to the CLEO in person semiannually. These offenses 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 such as rape, child molestation, sexual assault, as well as repeat offenses.

Penalties for Not Registering as a Sex Offender in Lafayette and Throughout Missouri

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

Combs Waterkotte is a leading criminal defense law firm based in St. Louis. In addition to expert legal representation from our skilled Lafayette, MO child pornography attorneys, we provide help in the following practice areas for clients in Lafayette, MO:

• 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 Lafayette, MO?

The Combs Waterkotte skilled Lafayette, MO child pornography defense team has a combined 60-plus years of experience defending clients throughout Lafayette, MO in cases just like 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. You also may not have even been aware of the existence of child porn. This may be used if child porn was discovered on a computer or hard drive that is shared, or to which individuals other than you may have had access without your knowledge. You also could have used an unsecured or shared network which enabled another individual to download child porn. An angry co-worker, employee, friend, ex-spouse, or other revengeful individual may be motivated to download child porn on your computer or hard drive in order to frame you in Lafayette, MO.

Your knowledgeable Combs Waterkotte defense attorney will work to establish that you were not aware of possessing child porn. Give us a call right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach out to us online.

An Accidental Possession Defense

The internet can be a treacherous environment. Your computer is continuously subjected to viruses, spyware, malware, spam, or various other inputs without your knowledge or consent. These intrusions could easily include child pornography or other obscene materials. You, like many other individuals in Lafayette and throughout Missouri, have numerous files on your computer you didn’t even know existed.

A “Not Child Porn” Defense

This defense is based on the prosecution’s burden to prove that material in question involves anyone under the age of 18. Additionally, if the material serves a scientific, religious, or educational purpose it should not be considered child pornography.

Illegal Search and Seizure

Law enforcement may make procedural errors, violating an individual’s Fourth Amendment rights under the Constitution. The Combs Waterkotte defense team always has your rights, your future, and your best interests in mind in Lafayette, MO. Law enforcement can occasionally push the limits on getting a warrant or may search beyond the scope of that warrant. If evidence against you was seized illegally, your child pornography defense lawyer will argue it is inadmissible.

Entrapment

Entrapment can manifest in various scenarios throughout the Lafayette, MO area. The defense is rooted in the fact that you would not have committed the offense if law enforcement hadn’t contacted you and persuaded you to do so. Officers could also try to induce individuals to purchase content which 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 know – particularly when law enforcement runs a child porn sting operation which may round up multiple people, not all of whom are guilty.

Psychological Addiction/Mitigating Circumstances

While it isn’t necessarily a winning defense, 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. Some mitigating factors your Combs Waterkotte Lafayette, MO defense lawyer can present could include 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 Hesitate – Reach Out to a Lafayette, MO Child Pornography Defense Lawyer Right Now at Combs Waterkotte

Child pornography charges are serious and can have lasting, if not permanent, implications on your reputation and future in Lafayette, 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 Lafayette or Missouri along is ill-advised.

We know that good people often find themselves caught in bad situations in Lafayette and throughout Missouri. We’re here to help. Call our accomplished Lafayette, MO child pornography defense lawyers right away at (314) 900-HELP or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free, confidential consultation.