Atlanta, Georgia Computer Crimes Attorney
Child pornography and the solicitation of minors through the Internet are on the increase and receiving a great deal of attention in the media. At The Federal Law Group in Atlanta, Georgia, we understand the gravity of a computer crimes charge, and will fight to aggressively defend your rights.
Possession and/or distribution of child pornography is one of the most common computer crimes we defend at The Federal Law Group. Being arrested for and charged with a computer crime that involves child pornography brings fear and embarrassment. Although the file is usually accidently downloaded from legitimate adult sites, the stigma that attaches to the individual upon arrest is almost as severe as if he or she has already been convicted.
As with any crime, the prosecution must prove you had the intent to commit the computer crime. This means that if the individual charged with possession of child pornography accidentally came across the images on a legitimate adult website, those charges can be dismissed.
In other cases, Internet chat rooms and MySpace sites are occupied by law enforcement or members of an undercover watchdog group. An individual from one of these groups will pose as a minor male or female and entice another person to engage in a sexually explicit conversation. There may be a case for entrapment depending on the content of the chat room transcript. If the undercover operative initiated contact and made sexual innuendos first, you are being lured and entrapment is a cause for dismissal.
Many clients facing a strong case by the prosecution are convinced to plead guilty to the computer crime with the caveat that they will not have to register as a sex offender as part of their plea bargain. The fact is that you will have to register for at least 10 years, no matter what the plea bargain says, as it is a statutory requirement that is subject to residency restrictions. You will not be allowed to live within 1,000 feet of a school, gym, playground, church, or community center. Violent offenders have to register for life and wear a GPS tracking system.
Do not let the prosecution coerce you into pleading guilty as a way to move the matter through the system. The charge, conviction, and stigma of a sexual offense do not go away. For more information or to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced lawyer, contact us today.
