Norwalk Sextortion Lawyer

Deliberately spreading intimate images of another person without that person’s consent or threatening to do so unless the depicted person provides them something, is a sex crime that could potentially lead to felony-level consequences in court. Retaining a Norwalk sextortion lawyer after an arrest can give you a better chance of securing a favorable case resolution with a minimal impact on your future prospects.

What Constitutes “Sextortion” Under State Law?

As a Norwalk sextortion attorney will explain, the Connecticut penal code does not define “sextortion” as a distinct criminal offense, so it may be prosecuted under one or more different criminal statutes depending on the situation.

The most commonly understood definition of “sextortion” is leveraging sexually explicit images of someone in order to compel that person to provide an item or service of value, or else the perpetrator will release the sensitive images to the public or to specific individuals. This type of crime is prosecuted in Connecticut as a form of larceny by extortion, which Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-122(a)(1) defines as larceny in the first degree—a class B felony offense—regardless of the value of money, goods, and/or services acquired by the perpetrator.

The actual act of distributing intimate images of another person without the depicted individual’s consent may be prosecuted either as disseminating voyeuristic material under C.G.S. §53a-189b or unlawful dissemination of an intimate image under C.G.S. §53a-189c, depending on how the alleged perpetrator originally acquired the intimate images in question. The latter offense is more commonly known as “revenge porn” and is considered a class A misdemeanor, while the former offense may result in sanctions typically consistent with a class D felony.

How Can You Contest Revenge Porn Allegations in Norwalk?

The most important thing you should remember if you are under criminal investigation for sextortion is that anything you said or wrote before the investigation began could be used as evidence against you, just like any new statements made during the investigation. Therefore, deleting old texts and emails is never a good way to address this kind of accusation, no matter how incriminating those statements might seem.

Not only can these records often still be recovered even after being “deleted” from a user’s immediate view, but this type of action could constitute criminal tampering with physical evidence under C.G.S. §53a-155, which is a class D felony offense all its own. The best course of action is to seek assistance from a skilled sextortion attorney in Norwalk as soon as possible.

Get in Touch with a Norwalk Sextortion Attorney Today

Regardless of what section of state law charges proceed under, being accused of sextortion is a very serious matter that requires a strong and comprehensive defense strategy. Even if you believe you have enough evidence to disprove the prosecutor’s case against you, compiling that evidence into a compelling case could be very difficult without support from experienced legal counsel.

A knowledgeable Norwalk sextortion lawyer could provide the skill and advice you need to achieve the best possible outcome in your unique situation. Click here to read our over 300 certified client reviews on Avvo.com, and call Mark Sherman Law today to learn more and schedule your confidential consultation.

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