Online Solicitation Minor Maryland 3-324 Montgomery Rockville Bethesda

Sexual Online Solicitation Minor Maryland Montgomery 3-324

“Solicit” is defined as urging, authorizing, requesting, enticing, persuading, commanding, or advising by any means. This includes in person, through an agent or agency, through any print medium, over the telephone, by mail, over the computer or internet, or any other electronic means. Section 3-324(a).

Online solicitation of a minor is a felony sex offense in Maryland. It is a crime in which no physical contact need to occur for the accused to be charged or convicted of the crime. The mere attempt to entice or encourage a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity is a criminal act, potentially punishable by years in prison and registration as a Maryland Sex Offender. Tempting a minor to engage in illegal activities via telephone, internet or computer, mail, written documents, agency or through some other electronic means is a crime in Maryland.

In Maryland, sex crimes are taken very seriously. They are accompanied by heavy penalties, in some cases life terms in prison and require lifetime registration with the Sex Offender Registry. It is always important to talk to an online solicitation of minor Maryland defense attorney before submitting to questioning in an investigation regarding a possible crime. This is particularly critical when allegations of sexual solicitation of a minor are the focus of the investigation.

Sexual online solicitation of a minor laws in Maryland have frequently been challenged by defendants on the basis that they violate a defendant’s right to free speech, but have survived such claims. Viable defenses remaining will depend on a particular state’s laws. Some earlier laws required a defendant to actually communicate with a child and defendants could raise the defense of impossibility where prosecution involved communication with an officer who was merely posing as a child, but who was in actuality an adult. In response to the success of the impossibility defense, many state statutes changed their laws to permit a conviction based on a defendant’s belief that they were talking to a minor.

Being charged with a sex crime that involves a child will impact your life forever. A sex offense conviction can exert serious legal, administrative, and financial consequences on your life, your career as well as your reputation. If you are convicted of using a computer to solicit a minor to facilitate a child sex offense, you may face penalties such as job loss, your ability to be employed will be impacted, you may face an extended jail or prison sentence.

It is illegal for any person with the intent to commit rape in the second degree, or a sexual offense in the second or third degree, or for prostitution purposes, to knowingly solicit a minor or a law enforcement officer pretending to be a minor to engage in any sexual acts, sexual contact, or vaginal intercourse that would be considered a sex crime or be a prostitution-related offense, Section 3-324(b).

If a person violates this section, that person is guilty of a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $25,000.

In Maryland, if you need the help of an online solicitation of a minor lawyer in Montgomery County, Charles County (Waldorf), Rockville, Bethesda, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Anne Arundel (Annapolis), Howard County, Ellicott City or Frederick, do not hesitate to call us for a consultation.

If you wish to consult an SRIS Law Group, P.C. online solicitation of a minor attorney in Maryland, call us at 855-696-3348.

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