Possessing or sending sexually explicit material depicting anyone under 18 is unlawful throughout Aurora, Centennial, and Englewood. Child pornography crimes are punished harshly in Arapahoe County and throughout Colorado. Charged as sexual exploitation of a child, a few misguided clicks on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop can prove to be especially costly. These charges can impact a young person who just turned 18, as well as adults well into their prime. An experienced child pornography lawyer is essential when it comes to allegations like these. Below we discuss Colorado child pornography charges in greater detail and how we can help the accused.
What Leads to a Child Pornography Charge in Arapahoe County?
Colorado’s child pornography laws prohibit possession, distribution, or creation of explicit images or videos involving juveniles. CRS 18-6-403 describes the specific criminal activity surrounding these materials. Law enforcement will pursue a sexual exploitation of a child charge if they believe you:
- possessed, distributed, or created,
- sexually exploitative material,
- showing someone under 18,
- in the nude, aroused, masturbating, or having oral, vaginal, or anal sex
Forensic examinations of devices retrieved during a search warrant often uncover these files. It isn’t uncommon for someone’s internet service provider or IP address to identify interaction with these materials. While many believe private browsing will shield them from others knowing their viewing / download habits, ISPs gather a great deal of information about devices connected to home or office networks.
How Serious Are Child Pornography Charges in Colorado?
The specific facts of each unique case determine the penalties for interacting with child porn. The amount of files, their content, and whether a defendant possessed, distributed, or created them play a large role. The charge itself can range from a class 5 felony up to a class 3 felony, potentially resulting in:
- a prison sentence of 1 – 12 years,
- fines of $1K – $750K,
- evaluation / treatment,
- strict supervision after incarceration (SOISP),
- sex offender registration
While these consequences may seem overwhelming, don’t give up. Our determined criminal lawyers have decades of combined experience fighting sexual exploitation charges throughout Colorado’s 64 counties.
Aurora’s Leading Sex Crimes Attorney
With the intense weight of child pornography allegations in Arapahoe, Denver, and Adams County, skilled representation is critical to a defendant’s future. Prosecutors are incentivized to achieve a conviction in sexual exploitation cases and have many resources at their disposal. Protect your future by contacting one of our highly-rated defense attorneys today. Perhaps you didn’t know you had the material on your device because you bought it used or the files were showing affection instead of sexual acts. We offer same-day jail visits, affordable fees, and flexible payment plans for those accused of internet sex crimes in Aurora, Denver, Lakewood, Thornton, and Centennial.
Talk to us about child pornography charges – not the police. 303-731-0719
Photo by Jared Brashier