A Nassau County Child Pornography Lawyer can tell you that the crime of child pornography involves recorded pictures or other images depicting children (under 18 years old), engaging in sexual activity or undressed. Distributing or being in possession of these types of materials is a very serious offense in both state and federal court. Both the United States Attorney and the New York District Attorney aggressively pursue and apprehend perpetrators of this crime. Due to the morally offensive nature of these offenses, law makers are looking to expand current laws to make the possession of sexually explicit cartoons and graphic images illegal as well. If you or a family member has been charged with this crime, or sexual assault, Rape, sexual harassment or other Sex Crimes, it is important to seek legal guidance as soon as possible. If convicted, the penalties for these offenses are serious. Speak with a Nassau County Child Pornography Lawyer from Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC for guidance and a free consultation.
Police use various methods to locate and arrest child pornographers, which can include raiding companies that sell pornographic images. The police will obtain the personal information and credit card numbers of individuals who do business with these companies, and obtain a search warrant to seize the customer’s illegal materials and arrest them. Police will then investigate who these people have been sharing files with and make a sweep, where they arrest many suspects at the same time.
It is important to note that everything done on the internet is recorded, and any interaction you may have over the internet can be turned over to the authorities. If you receive a call from the F.B.I., the U.S. Postal Service, or U.S. Customs, and they want to question you about your internet use, it is extremely important to speak with our legal team before you respond.
According to Federal Law 18 USC 2252 and 2252A (a)(5), the possession of child pornography is defined as: knowing accessing and/or possessing pornographic materials with an intent to view any book, film, computer disc, magazine or video tape that shows images of child pornography. These illegal images also include images that are transmitted on messaging boards, file sharing sites and chat rooms, including sites that are out of the country.
The sentence for this and other Sex Crimes are very severe. Even with the case of possession, prison time is the norm. In a case involving the transmission of illegal materials, there is a mandatory 5 year federal prison sentence, which is mandatory. Maximum sentences can range from 10 years to life. In addition to prison time, the defendant will have to register as a sex offender for life. Once registered, this information becomes public record, and can create serious problems for the defendant in obtaining housing and employment in the future.
In New York, all sex officers are required to register, irrespective of the offense, or whether the offense was committed within the state of New York. The laws that require this are ever changing; however courts have held that all sex offenders are presumptively level 2 offenders under SORA. This development was just recently overruled by the NY Board of Examiners of Sex Offenders, however the law is changing frequently.
Being charged with a Sex Crime is life changing. These offenses carry very serious penalties and damage professional and personal relationships. If you have been charged with a sex offense, it is very important to speak with a skilled attorney from our legal team to ensure that your interests are protected. Call our firm today for a free consultation. We have offices throughout New York for your convenience, including locations in Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island. We also have offices in Suffolk County and Nassau County on Long Island and Westchester County. Call today to schedule your appointment at 800.696.9529.