The technology that all of us use daily, including tablet computers and laptops, make child pornography readily available online. Although state laws also make the possession of child pornography illegal, federal laws make it illegal to possess, distribute, or view child pornography from the Internet.
If you are prosecuted for violating federal child pornography laws, you are at risk of spending years in a federal penitentiary. If you are convicted, you will face difficulty finding a job, finding a place to live, or difficulty traveling. You may be prevented from visiting family members under the age of 18 or even living in the same house as any children you may have. It is critical that you hire a Pittsburgh sex crimes lawyer with experience handling federal cases. Call (412) 281-2146 for a free legal consultation with one of our attorneys today.
Federal Child Pornography, Defined
Under U.S. law, it is illegal to view, buy, sell or distribute child pornography on the Internet. This includes:
- Sending links to child pornography in email
- Emailing images across state lines or international borders
- Downloading images
It is also against federal law for an individual to employ, use, persuade, entice, or coerce any minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to create pornography that will be transmitted across state or international lines.
Penalties
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you can be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years but up to 30 years in a federal prison for a first conviction. The penalties increase if you have subsequent convictions. If you have been one prior conviction under U.S. law or under any state’s laws for aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact with a minor, sex trafficking of children, or the possession, production, receipt, mailing, sale, distribution, transportation, or shipment of child pornography, you face at least 25 years in federal prison but up to 50 years.
Two or more prior convictions mean that you face penalties of at least 35 years but up to life in federal prison.
If you have been charged with child pornography at the federal level or you know someone who has, do not delay in hiring an experienced Pittsburgh sex crimes lawyer today.
Questions? Contact us.
Your rights, future, and life are at stake. These charges can mean decades in federal prison, along with a permanent criminal record and lifetime registration as a sex offender if convicted. Contact Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys today for a free legal consultation with a Pittsburgh sex crimes lawyer.
