Exploring the Consequence of a Child Pornography Possession Conviction

Under state and federal criminal law, child pornography offenders face severe penalties. However, even after being released from prison, individuals convicted of this crime can face lifelong consequences. If you’ve been charged with a sex crime or you think you might be under investigation, you need to find a sex crime lawyer in Columbus right away. Your criminal defense attorney can ensure that your legal rights are protected, and he or she can argue for your acquittal.

Criminal Penalties

As your criminal defense attorney can advise you, a charge of child pornography possession means that you have been accused of knowingly receiving or possessing digital files, unprocessed film, images, videos, or any other form of media with explicit images of children. Criminal law also provides for charges involving the distribution and production of child pornography. If you’re convicted of possessing these materials, you could be sentenced to up to 20 years behind bars in a federal prison.

Sex Offender Registration

Once you’ve been released from prison, you will be required by law to comply with the rules of the sex offender registry. This means that your name and contact information will be added to a database of sex offenders. The database will also contain information about your employment, identifying physical characteristics, and the nature of your crime. You’ll be required to update your information promptly when it changes. You’ll be subject to periodic checks to ensure that you remain in compliance. If you violate these rules, you can expect to be charged with another crime.

Social Consequences

After sex offenders have been released from prison, they frequently find that the nature of their crime involves dire social consequences. Since your family members and friends likely heard about the child pornography charge, you may become ostracized from them. There may be limits placed on where you can legally live. Since your name will be on the sex offender registry, it will likely be difficult to obtain gainful employment. These are just a few of the reasons why you need the help of an experienced defense attorney.