• 16
  • October
    2012

Possession and distribution of child pornography are serious offenses. Offenses related to child pornography are characterized by any visual representation (photograph, film, video, picture or an image created by the computer) that depicts children under the age 18 (minors) engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

These visual depictions might be reproduced electronically, mechanically or by other means. A visual representation of this sexually explicit conduct may be found in prints, videos, compact discs, film or digital video discs. These images may be transferred via different media such as chat rooms, instant messages, file transfers, e-mail, newsgroups and websites.

Federal law states that possession, manufacturing, distribution or access with the intention of viewing child pornography is a federal crime in all 50 states. The web provides the easiest access when it comes to child pornography. In these cases, Internet pop ups or anonymous links may lead to unintentional access of these visual depictions. It is therefore critical to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney if you are concerned that you may be held responsible for unintentional possession of explicit images.

In such cases, the computer that houses these illegal images may be scrutinized in order to figure out if another person had access to it. Nonetheless, it is critical for individuals to understand that child pornography charges are very serious and may result in life-changing consequences. As a result, it is important to speak with an experienced advocate as soon as you become concerned that you may be connected to child pornography in any way.

Source: Missingkids.com, "What is child pornography," Sept. 14, 2012