Many minors throughout the state of Michigan are equipped with cell phones or other electronic devices capable of taking and sending high-resolution digital pictures. Advances in SMS and MMS messaging technology have naturally led to what is seen by some as mischievous or severely inappropriate behavior. Teens, preteens, and other minors equipped with cell phones have the ability to send nude or semi-nude pictures to friends, girlfriends, or boyfriends. These pictures can easily be forwarded to unintended recipients, and can even end up on pornographic websites.
Grabel & Associates will defend you or your child facing child pornography charges due to sexting. Sexting cases are rapidly increasing, and you need a lawyer who can comprehend how Michigan law will be applied to the relatively new phenomenon of sexting. Michigan prosecutors can sentence minors under child pornography laws, turning the law against those it was initially instituted to protect. Protect your teenager from prison time and registration as a Michigan sex offender with a skilled lawyer at Grabel & Associates.
Sexting is a problem with no end in sight, and has been debated on TV talk shows, at school board meetings, and by parents throughout Michigan and worldwide. While most adults would like to see sexting made illegal, current Michigan law is ill-equipped to achieve this result.
Michigan child pornography laws were drafted well before cell phones and digital cameras, and due to recent interpretations of these laws, sexting offenses can be lumped in with extremely serious child pornography and child exploitation charges. Michigan has not created separate laws to deal with sexting, and children with access to smartphones or camera phones are at risk to be convicted as sex offenders. Contact Grabel & Associates to avoid harsh punishment for underage sexting in Michigan.
According to the Michigan Penal Code, Section 750.145c, three sexting related actions can be punished under child pornography statutes. Any person who persuades, induces, entices, coerces, or otherwise allows a minor to engage in a sexual abusive activity such as sexting could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000. If a teenager were to persuade a girlfriend or boyfriend to take and send an explicit photograph, he or she could be punished under this statute. Anyone who distributes or promotes any child sexually abusive material could face up to 7 years in prison and a fine of as much as $50,000. If your child was involved in sending sexually explicit photos via text, he or she could be punished under this statute. Finally, anyone who knowingly possesses child sexually abusive materials can be punished by a 4 year prison sentence, along with a fine of up to $10,000.
If you are under investigation for sexting or have a teenager who is facing potential child pornography charges, contact our team of criminal defense attorneys. We will fight to protect the rights and freedom of anyone accused of child pornography production, distribution, or possession in Michigan.
At Grabel & Associates, we fight for justice in all Michigan criminal cases, and we believe that the punishment should fit the crime if convicted of an offense. If you have been wrongfully convicted of sexting, we will aggressively fight to have your charges dismissed or reduced. If a minor is arrested on sexting charges, we can explore sentencing options such as Michigan Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) sentencing.
We will investigate every detail of any sexting case we take in order to build an individualized criminal defense strategy that will be effective in your child pornography case. Michigan’s outdated stance on sexting can result in young adults being charged with felonies and registered as sex offenders for significant periods of time, and our lawyers will work to protect the reputations of our clients. Our aggressive defense approach has been effective in thousands of past Michigan criminal cases, and our lawyers’ combined experience of over 100 years gives us valuable insight into Michigan law and both the state and federal court systems.
If your child has been accused of violating Michigan’s child pornography laws by sexting images to a girlfriend, boyfriend, or other friend, you will need a skilled attorney to defend you. Contact us immediately to start fighting against Michigan criminal conviction.
The attorneys at Grabel & Associates will aggressively work to have sexting charges dismissed or reduced, protecting teenagers from a permanent mark on their records which could cause serious harm throughout life. Call 1-800-342-7896 for a free initial phone consultation, and find out how our Michigan juvenile crime defense lawyers can help you beat child pornography charges. You can also visit our sex crimes website for more information, or contact us online. Our premier Michigan firm is dedicated to providing the best defense for those accused of committing a sex offense in Michigan.