Grand Rapids Child Pornography Charges Defense Attorney

You don’t have to be involved with the production or distribution of child porn to face child pornography charges. Simply having images on your computer or cellphone that constitute child sexually abusive activity, involving individuals under the age of 18, is a serious criminal offense. It’s punishable by up to 20 years in prison and may require sex offender registration.

I am Grand Rapids child pornography defense lawyer James K. Champion. If you have been charged with possession or distribution of child porn in western Michigan, contact my firm, the Law Office of James K. Champion, PLLC, for a free initial consultation to discuss your case and possible defenses.

Range Of Charges And Penalties Related To Child Pornography

In child pornography cases, defendants can face serious charges if they possess, distribute or produce child sexually abusive material. Penalties vary, but here’s a general overview of what defendants might face:

• Possession of child sexually abusive material: Up to four years imprisonment; fines up to $10,000; mandatory sex offender registration
• Distribution of child sexually abusive material: Up to seven years imprisonment; fines up to $50,000; mandatory registration; enhanced penalties for commercial distribution
• Production of child sexually abusive material: Up to 20 years imprisonment; fines up to $100,000; lifetime sex offender registration; potential additional charges

Sex offender registration is a mandatory consequence of all sex crime convictions, including child pornography.

The impact often goes further. Convicted individuals face significant collateral consequences like employment and housing restrictions, along with a severe and potentially lifelong social stigma.

How You Were Charged With Possession Of Child Porn

Sex crimes involving children often result from sting operations in which police monitor Internet sites hosting child pornography and track visitors through the IP address of their computers. If you visit a site and inadvertently click on a link, you can be in a world of trouble even if all you did was accidentally click on a link. You may delete the images as soon as you see them, but the images will be stored on your computer and can be retrieved by investigators.

Criminal charges can also result from having images of someone under the age of 18 on your cellphone. It’s not unusual for students in high school or younger to face child pornography charges for sexting – transmitting pictures or videos taken of a boyfriend or girlfriend using a cellphone camera.

Child pornography can be charged as a federal offense. Several years ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began tracking child porn originating from China, Russia and other nations. Today, they are prosecuting people who view those images, intentionally or accidentally, in the United States.

Defenses To Your Charges Involving Minors

There are many paths I can examine to build a defense in your case, depending on the unique facts. For some individuals, it was another person who was using their computer to look up the indecent photos. For others, it could be an inadvertent click that went to a website that they did not mean to go to, showing child sexually abusive activity. You could also receive an image from another individual that you did not request and did not know was coming to you.

There are other defenses as well, but everything will depend on the specifics of your case. Speaking with a criminal defense attorney is the best way to know what can be done to minimize the charges you face.

Talk To An Experienced Child Pornography Defense Lawyer Today. It’s Free.

If you’ve been charged with a crime involving child pornography or any other child sexually abusive material, call my Grand Rapids law office today at 888-723-0075 to schedule a free initial consultation. The sooner you enlist the help of an attorney experienced in defending against these charges, the better your chances will be of avoiding serious and life-altering consequences.

You can also schedule a consultation by filling out my online contact form. Either way, I will sit down with you in a confidential consultation to explain your rights and establish a plan for moving forward.