Greenwich Sextortion Lawyer

Whether it takes the form of releasing intimate images of someone else without their consent or threatening to do so in order to extort money or services out of them, “sextortion” is a very serious sex crime offense in Connecticut and can be prosecuted extremely harshly by criminal courts. If you are facing allegations along these lines, working closely with a skilled Greenwich sextortion lawyer makes a significant difference in how effectively you can contest your charges and what kind of impact this entire case has on your prospects.

“Sextortion” as a Misdemeanor Offense

The severity of a “sextortion” allegation can change dramatically depending on exactly what the defendant is accused of doing and for what purpose they allegedly did it. The less severe variant of this offense is “Unlawful Dissemination of an Intimate Image,” which Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-189c defines as someone intentionally publishing, selling, exhibiting, or otherwise disseminating an image under all of the following conditions:

• The image in question depicted another clearly identifiable person—based on details visible in the image or information accompanying the image—engaging in sexual conduct or display, the latter of which means any display of an intimate area of their body with a less than fully opaque covering over it;
• The depicted person was not engaged in voluntary exposure or sexual conduct in a public place or commercial setting;
• The perpetrator disseminated the image in question without the depicted person’s consent and in a way that did not serve the public interests;
• The depicted person had a reasonable expectation that the image in question would not be disseminated; and/or
• The dissemination of the image caused some form of harm, including, but not limited to, physical, psychological, financial, or reputational harm to the depicted person.

Disseminating an intimate image in this way to one other person is a Class A misdemeanor in Connecticut. As a Greenwich sextortion attorney can further explain, this means a first-time offender convicted of this offense could face up to a year of jail time and/or $2,000 in fines.

When Can “Sextortion” Be Prosecuted as a Felony?

If someone violates C.G.S. § 53a-189c by disseminating an intimate image to more than one person by way of any interactive information, telecommunications, or computer service, their offense will be upgraded to a Class D felony. This means a first-time offender could face maximum sanctions of five years imprisonment—served in state prison rather than county or local jail—as well as $5,000 in fines, not to mention they would have a permanent felony record.

Threatening to disseminate intimate images to compel the person depicted in those images to pay money or provide something else of value may be prosecuted as Larceny by Extortion, which C.G.S. § 53a-122 always categorizes as a Class B felony punishable by one to 20 years of prison time and a maximum of $15,000 in fines regardless of the amount of money allegedly involved. Support from a seasoned attorney is especially crucial to effectively contesting sextortion allegations of this nature in Greenwich.

Contact a Greenwich Sextortion Attorney for Assistance

Sextortion accusations can drastically alter the course of your life and, if they lead to a conviction, could potentially leave you facing years behind bars and a permanent felony record. You should think twice before trying to fight back against this kind of charge on your own. Instead, you should prioritize speaking with a Greenwich sextortion lawyer from Mark Sherman Law with the experience and expertise necessary to build the strongest possible defense. Call us today for a confidential consultation, and click here to visit our Avvo profile with over 300 certified reviews.