UConn Sextortion Lawyer

Guidance from a UConn sextortion lawyer could make a world of difference in your chances of coming out from an allegation like this without too much damage done to your personal and professional prospects. A reliable defense attorney could help you more effectively enforce your legal rights while also protecting your best interests throughout your investigation and trial.

What are Misdemeanor Sextortion Charges at UConn?

The term “sextortion” usually refers to someone blackmailing another person into providing money, services, or something else of value by threatening to publicly release private images or photos of the targeted person in a sexually intimate or compromising position. In Connecticut, the actual act of distributing intimate images of another person without the depicted party’s consent is often prosecuted under a different statute than using intimate images to commit extortion.

Under Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-189c, unlawful dissemination of an intimate image entails someone intentionally sending a sexually intimate or explicit depiction of someone else to other people after having received that image or video from the depicted person with the understanding that it would remain private. This act is more commonly referred to as “revenge porn,” and as a UConn sextortion attorney could affirm, it is a class A misdemeanor offense for which conviction could lead to a one-year jail term plus a maximum $2,000 fine.

When Does Sextortion Become a Felony Offense?

Someone who distributes intimate images of another person which they obtained through some form of voyeurism without that person’s consent—in other words, without the depicted person’s knowledge or permission—has committed the offense of disseminating voyeuristic material rather than unlawful dissemination of an intimate image. Under C.G.S. §53a-189b, this offense is a class D felony, meaning a conviction could lead to much harsher penalties of up to five years maximum in prison and $5,000 in total fines.

Someone who successfully extorts money, services, or items of value from someone else by threatening to commit either of the aforementioned crimes has committed “sextortion,” which Connecticut authorities prosecute as a type of larceny by extortion. Under C.G.S. §53a-122(a)(1), any act of larceny involving extortion is always a class B felony, which means a convicted defendant could find themselves facing anywhere from one year to 20 years of imprisonment as well as a maximum of $15,000 in fines. Our lawyers have experience handling sextortion cases at UConn and can explain all these charges and their consequences in more detail during a private consultation.

Talk to a UConn Sextortion Attorney About Defense Options

The fluctuating nature of this offense in terms of both public understanding and formal prosecution in criminal court means that individual cases can proceed very differently from each other and that every specific situation requires its own distinct defense strategy. Support from a seasoned UConn sextortion lawyer could wind up being essential to protecting your rights in the face of charges like this.

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