Crawford County, MO

Child pornography defense lawyer in Crawford County, MO. Confronting accusations or charges related to the possession or distribution of child pornography poses a substantial risk to your personal and professional reputation. If you’re facing charges for possessing or distributing child pornography in Crawford County, 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 situation.

Call the criminal defense attorneys at Combs Waterkotte immediately at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free, no-obligation case review. 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 Crawford County, MO?

Despite prevailing stereotypes, child pornography charges can impact individuals from all walks of life throughout the Crawford County, 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 featuring a minor below 18 years of age or obscene material portraying what seems to be a minor under 18 years of age.

A few specific instances of child pornography charges in Crawford County and across the state of Missouri are:

• Possessing Child Pornography: Having child pornography in your possession, regardless of the quantity or form – digital, physical, etc.
• Promoting Child Pornography: Involves 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’re confronted with charges related to any of these instances or other child pornography charges, it is imperative to contact Combs Waterkotte right now at (314) 900-HELP or reach out to us online. Having an experienced advocate by your side is crucial to safeguarding your reputation, rights, and future.

What Are the Penalties for Child Pornography in Crawford County, 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 Crawford County, MO if any of the following conditions apply:

• Possess over 20 still images of child pornography
• Possess over 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

Legal Ramifications for Promotion of Child Pornography in and Around Crawford County, 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 along with fines. Additionally:

• 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.
• Crawford County, 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 Crawford County, MO Area

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

Mandatory Sex Offender Registration in Crawford County, 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 classifies 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 more 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. These offenses include possession of child pornography, indecent exposure, and other nonviolent sexual crimes against minors.
• Tier II Offenders: Individuals in this tier have a lifetime registration requirement and must report to the CLEO in person every 90 days. Offenses in this category usually involve violent acts including rape, child molestation, sexual assault, as well as repeat offenses.

Penalties for Not Registering as a Sex Offender in Crawford County, MO

Failure to register as a sex offender is 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 becomes a class D felony.

Combs Waterkotte is an award-winning criminal defense law firm based in St. Louis. In addition to expert legal representation from our skilled Crawford County, MO child pornography lawyers, we provide assistance in the following areas for clients in Crawford County, 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 Crawford County, MO?

The Combs Waterkotte skilled Crawford County, MO child pornography defense team has a combined 60-plus years of experience defending clients throughout Crawford County, MO in cases just like yours. While each case presents its own unique circumstances, our attorneys employ a variety of defense strategies, including:

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 did not 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 Crawford County, MO.

Your Combs Waterkotte defense attorney will work to establish that you were not aware of possessing child porn. Call us today at (314) 900-HELP or reach out to us online.

An Accidental Possession Defense

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

A “Not Child Porn” Defense

This defense challenges the prosecution’s burden to prove that material in question involves any individual under the age of 18. If the material serves a scientific, religious, or educational purpose, it may be argued that it should not be classified as 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 is vigilant in safeguarding your rights, future, and best interests. If evidence was seized illegally, your Crawford County, MO child pornography defense lawyer will argue its inadmissibility.

Entrapment

Entrapment can occur in a variety of situations 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 occurs more frequently 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 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. Some mitigating factors your Combs Waterkotte Crawford County, 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 Wait – Contact a Crawford County, MO Child Pornography Defense Lawyer Right Away at Combs Waterkotte

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

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