Child Pornography Sting Operations: What Can You Do?
Under California Penal Code Section 311, it is illegal to produce, advertise, sell, distribute, or possess images portraying children under the age of 18 engaged in stimulating sexual conduct.
The internet has become the leading medium that people use to search for, purchase, and obtain child pornography. Many websites provide or sell material that depict minors engaged in sexual activity and are in violation of California Penal Code Section 311.
What are the police doing to address this issue?
In response to online child pornography, California police departments are now routinely coordinating with federal agents to conduct internet sting operations designed to incriminate people seeking child pornography. Once you access a website designed for child pornography sting operations, the police will arrest you and prevent you from obtaining these materials.
The tactics police developed to achieve this goal are as varied as the demands in the illegal child pornography market. For instance, in order to actively uncover the identities of individuals seeking child pornography, agents will participate in pedophile chat rooms, set up arrangements where participants share child pornography materials, and then make an arrest.
Additionally, undercover agents will search the internet for child pornography and pose as buyers in order to find out the seller’s identity and make an arrest.
Finally, to find those actively seeking child pornography, police agents also maintain websites claiming to sell child pornography materials. People attempting to purchase the materials give their personal information and are then arrested for violating California Penal Code Section 311.
Why such an aggressive approach?
The primary purpose behind such an intense response to child pornography on the internet is to arrest those who engage in the child pornography trade and prevent them from engaging in future crime. Additionally, this dedicated effort to combat child pornography on the internet also serves as a message to the public that the internet is a dangerous place for engaging in such activities.
Sometimes you may become a victim to a child pornography internet sting operation simply by visiting a website that collects pornographic material from around the web and happened to display images from a sting website. Those images get automatically saved through your web browser data and the police are then able to track the image to your IP address in order to reveal your identity to obtain a search warrant to seize your computer.
How can I protect myself?
The social stigma of a child pornography conviction alone is enough to merit concern for your case. If you are being investigated or are currently being charged with a child pornography offense, you need the help of an experienced Southern California child pornography defense attorney who knows how to aggressively defend your rights in child pornography cases.
Call the Child Pornography Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich
At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys have over 30 years of experience working hard to represent the interests of our clients and successfully defending them in child pornography cases. From the moment we take your case, we will guide you through the legal process so that your rights are protected.
Our offices are located in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Victorville, West Covina, Torrance and Sherman Oaks. We can help you no matter where you are located.
To learn more about child pornography internet sting operations and how they may affect your case, call our offices at (877) 466-5245 today for a free phone consultation. We will be there when you call.
