Sex offenses in Virginia can not only lead to serious charges and penalties, but they also carry with them negative perceptions that can follow a person around for the rest of his or her life. They can harm a person trying to get a job, be admitted to a school, and even where they can go and when. People who are convicted will also have to be registered in their particular area as a sex offender. In short, these issues are so significant that they do not simply go away once the penalties have been completed.
What can make this exponentially worse is if the charges are linked to child pornography. From the time the arrest is made and the charges are filed, those who are dealing with these issues need to protect themselves. There is the possibility that the material came into the person’s possession through a mistake. It’s possible that the person was charged with online solicitation with someone whom they did not realize was under the age of 18. Or there’s the chance that the person got caught up in a situation that they should not have gotten involved in.
Often, a person has no knowledge that an investigation is taking place before the charges are filed until they are confronted with a pound on their door and the police entering, conducting a search, confiscating material and making an arrest. Given the ramifications of an arrest and conviction on charges of possession of child pornography, child solicitation and other sex offenses involving children, legal help is imperative in these kinds of cases.
When the government has accused a person of child pornography crimes, the accused should seek legal assistance in planning a defense and dealing with the charges. Whether it is internet solicitation, child solicitation, child pornography or worse, the first call should be to an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
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