Downloading any image or video that features pornographic images of minors is illegal in Arizona. Doing so can get you into trouble that will follow you the rest of your life. Even if you were “curious” or “just looking” you will face criminal charges in Arizona if caught with images containing child pornography.
Recent Child Pornography Arrests in Phoenix
For example, a few weeks ago, a 25-year-old Phoenix man was arrested for allegedly downloading child pornography from a file-sharing network and keeping the images on his computer. Police were alerted about the images on the file-sharing network and they traced the download to the accused IP address. Police obtained a warrant to search his home and computer and that’s all it took for an arrest to be made.
In his official police statements, the accused man claimed he downloaded the images because he was curious after seeing news reports about others arrested for possessing child pornography, a court document said. “Curious,” although it may be the truth, is very hard to defend in court. It is always best to speak to an attorney before making any statements to police regarding the nature of a crime, especially criminal charges that involve the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Speak With an Attorney First
When a person is accused of possessing, distributing or manufacturing pornographic material depicting children, they will most likely be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Internet sex crimes involving children are not taken lightly and accused sex offenders are treated very poorly during the entire process.
If someone feels like are innocent and that they have been wrongfully accused of a child pornography offense, they will need to be able to provide strong evidence of their innocence in court. For example, a person could have been falsely accused of possessing child pornography if a virus, or some other person, downloaded child pornography onto their computer without their knowledge and consent. Stolen IP addresses have also been used to download or distribute child pornography over a peer-to-peer file-sharing network without the real IP owner’s knowledge. Hiring a criminal defense attorney in any of these situations is your best bet for presenting yourself and your case in the best light.
Naegle & Crider Criminal Defense Attorneys
Charlie Naegle is a Criminal Defense Attorney in Mesa AZ who works with individuals who live in Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Gilbert, Apache Junction, Scottsdale and Glendale. Naegle & Crider Criminal Defense Attorneys has offices in Mesa, Arizona and Phoenix, Arizona for convenient access across the Phoenix metropolitan area.
For more information or to schedule your free, confidential, 24/7 consultation, call 480-245-5550 immediately.