Tolleson Child Pornography Lawyer

Regardless of whether you have any prior criminal charges or convictions on your record, a single accusation that you possessed, distributed, or produced child pornography could fundamentally alter your life. Your odds of avoiding long-term repercussions are slim to none if you try to handle your case without legal counsel.

Seeking guidance from a skilled defense attorney should be a top priority for anyone under investigation for or charged with a child pornography offense. From start to finish of your legal proceedings, a Tolleson child pornography lawyer at Grand Canyon Law Group can provide custom-tailored legal guidance and work tirelessly to protect your rights.

How Does State Law Treat Child Porn Offenses?

Rather than defining various acts involving child pornography as distinct criminal offenses, the Arizona Penal Code groups most offenses under a single statute. Arizona Revised Statutes §13-3553 defines the underlying offense of “sexual exploitation of a minor.” This statute covers possession of material depicting a child under 18 engaged in sexual conduct or “exploitive exhibition.” It also prohibits creating, distributing, selling, exhibiting, transporting, or knowingly receiving such material.

Sexually exploiting a minor in any of these ways is a class 2 non-dangerous felony. A first-time offender may be sentenced upon conviction to between three and 12.5 years of imprisonment, depending on the presence of certain mitigating or aggravating circumstances.

Dangerous Crimes Against Children

However, if the depicted minor is under 15 years old, the offense is punishable as a “dangerous crime against children” in accordance with A.R.S. §13-705. A first-time offender could face between 10 and 24 years of imprisonment upon conviction with a presumptive 17-year term. As a Tolleson child pornography attorney can further explain, defendants with one or more prior felony convictions on their records will be subject to higher sentencing ranges upon conviction for violating A.R.S. §13-3553.

Enhanced Penalties for Commercial Sexual Exploitation

A.R.S. §13-3552 defines commercial sexual exploitation as any of the following actions:

• Using, coercing, persuading, or employing a minor to expose any intimate area of their body for financial gain
• Using, coercing, persuading, or employing a minor to engage in sexual conduct for the purpose of child pornography production
• Permitting a minor over whom the defendant has custody or control to engage in sexual conduct for the purpose of child pornography production
• Transporting or financing the travel of a minor in order to engage in prostitution or child pornography production
• Advertising prostitution through material containing a visual depiction of a minor

A first-time conviction under this statute has a sentencing range of 13 to 27 years, with a presumptive sentence of 20 years if the child involved is under 15 years old. Representation from an experienced lawyer at our firm is vital for anyone facing child pornography charges in Tolleson.

Work with a Tolleson Child Pornography Attorney on Your Defense

Child pornography charges are taken extremely seriously by law enforcement personnel and court authorities. Even first-time offenders may be sentenced to years of imprisonment, and repeat offenders are likely to spend decades behind bars.

Seeking a positive resolution to your case requires legal counsel from a seasoned attorney. Let a Tolleson child pornography lawyer at Grand Canyon Law Group walk you through your legal options in a private consultation. Call today to get started.