In an era of everything-at-your-virtual-fingertips internet connections and interactions, it is crucial to protect vulnerable persons against sexual exploitation. Child pornography and sexual exploitation are grave offenses that carry severe legal consequences. These charges are among the most complex and sensitive legal issues around. You need unparalleled professional legal representation on your side as soon as possible.
Combs Waterkotte is a well-established and award-winning law firm in St. Louis formed to protect the interests and innocence of our clients throughout Missouri. Our skilled and tenacious child pornography defense lawyers understand the complexities surrounding cases just like yours, and they are committed to protecting your rights, safeguarding both your reputation and your future, and getting you the most favorable outcome.
If you’re facing child pornography or sexual exploitation charges, call us immediately at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation. In this blog, we’ll aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the sexual exploitation laws in Missouri pertaining to child pornography.
What Are the Sexual Exploitation Laws in Missouri Regarding Child Pornography?
Under Missouri Revised Statute § 573.023, sexual exploitation occurs when you knowingly or recklessly photograph, film, videotape, produce, or otherwise create obscene material with a minor or child pornography. Obscene material doesn’t receive First Amendment protection, and covers anything that “depicts or describes sexual conduct.” In determining “obscene,” one must consider:
- Whether the “average person, applying contemporary community standards” would find that the material, taken as a hole, appeals to the prurient interest
- Whether the material depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law
- Whether the material, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value
What Are the Penalties For Sexual Exploitation?
Sexual exploitation is exploiting someone for personal, sexual, or financial benefit, typically at their expense and against their will or choice. Child exploitation and child pornography are often interconnected, particularly when it comes to charges, but encompass distinct forms of harm inflicted on minors. Child exploitation casts a broader net, encompassing a range of harmful behaviors directed at children, while child pornography consists of visual obscene material or recordings of minors engaged in sexual activities. We’ll examine a few key aspects to the defense of child pornography charges below.
Missouri’s child pornography and sexual exploitation laws are designed to protect minors from abuse and exploitation. The offense of sexual exploitation of a minor is a class B felony, unless the minor is a child under the age of 14, in which case it is a class A felony.
Key Aspects of Child Pornography Laws in Missouri
If you’re facing charges and are unsure of your next steps – or if you just have a few questions – call our child pornography lawyers at (314) 900-HELP or reach out to us online to discuss the specifics of your case. The following are a few key aspects along with our legal team’s perspective:
-
- Possession of Child Pornography
- Our Perspective: Establishing that you may not have knowingly possessed or had control over the illicit material.
- Perhaps challenging the circumstances of discovery, such as shared computers or potential unauthorized access to digital devices/networks.
- Distribution of Child Pornography
- Our Perspective: Scrutinizing the evidence to challenge the intent behind the alleged distribution.
- Evaluating the possibility of digital forensics errors or misinterpretations leading to false accusations against you.
- Promotion/Production of Child Pornography
- Our Perspective: Investigating whether you had any involvement in the creation or promotion of illicit material. We leave no stone unturned for our clients in St. Louis or elsewhere in Missouri.
- Identifying potential issues with the chain of custody or reliability of evidence presented by the prosecution.
- Possession of Child Pornography
Connect With a Leading Defense Attorney to Find Out About the Sexual Exploitation Laws in Missouri Regarding Child Pornography
Defending your child pornography and exploitation charges requires a meticulous examination of the evidence, a complete understanding of the legal nuances in your area, and a dedication to upholding the principles of justice. By navigating the complexities of sexual exploitation laws in Missouri, our skilled defense attorneys based in St. Louis protect your rights and reputation.
You need that type of commitment on your side, working on your case. Call Combs Waterkotte right now at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free case review where one of our attorneys will meet with you, discuss your case, and offer legal guidance concerning next steps.
