Bridgeport Sexting Lawyer
When you or your loved one is facing criminal charges due to sexting, you may have many questions about exactly what this charge entails and what your legal options might be. With a Bridgeport sexting lawyer by your side, you will have much better chances of resolving this often-awkward situation in a favorable way.
“Sexting” as a Criminal Offense for Teenagers
Any photo or video of a person under 16 years old engaged in any kind of sexually explicit conduct constitutes illegal “child pornography” in the state of Connecticut, regardless of whether the depicted minor knowingly and voluntarily created the illicit material themselves. However, state law does differentiate between adults possessing child pornography and teenagers exchanging sexually explicit depictions of themselves with each other—or, to use the more common colloquial term, “sexting.”
Connecticut’s law against “sexting” between teenagers is codified in Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-196h, which refers to the offense as “possessing or transmitting child pornography by minor.” According to this section of the Connecticut Penal Code, it is illegal for a person under 18 to knowingly possess an image or video depicting a person under 16 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which was sent to them knowingly and voluntarily by the depicted person via any electronic communication device.
Likewise, it is illegal for someone younger than 16 to send any photo or video of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct to another person under 18 through any electronic communication device. In both contexts, “sexually explicit conduct” can include intercourse, sexual contact, masturbation, and/or “lascivious exhibition,” and “electronic communications device” covers both cell/smart phones and computers.
Technically, this offense is a Class A misdemeanor, which means that someone prosecuted as an adult for violating C.G.S. §53a-196h could face up to a year in jail and/or $2,000 in fines. As a Bridgeport sexting attorney can explain, though, it is far more common for this type of offense to be handled as a juvenile offense, which can still warrant a robust defense strategy but tends to have much less severe consequences in the event of an “adjudication of guilt.”
Are There Any Laws Against Sexting Between Adults?
It is worth emphasizing that Connecticut’s “sexting” law applies exclusively to minors engaging in this activity with each other. There are no laws prohibiting adults over the age of 18 from exchanging sexually explicit depictions of themselves through any means, as long as all involved parties consent to the activity.
However, an adult who engages in “sexting” with a person under 16 may face extremely serious criminal consequences, as this could be considered a form of Possession of Child Pornography and prosecuted accordingly as a felony. Anyone facing allegations of this nature should make contacting a sexting defense attorney in Bridgeport their top priority.
Talk to a Bridgeport Sexting Attorney About Your Legal Options
Criminal charges over sexting can be intimidating for any teenager to deal with, especially one without a prior criminal or juvenile record. Fortunately, they—and your family as a whole—have help available from dedicated legal professionals who know precisely to handle situations like theirs proactively and effectively.
A conversation with a Bridgeport sexting lawyer from the Law Offices of Mark Sherman can provide important information about your rights and about the best way to approach your case. Call us today to set up a meeting, and click here to see what our past clients have to say about working with us.