Knowledgeable Criminal Defense Attorney Defends Clients Against Child Pornography Charges In Camden County, New Jersey
If you are facing child pornography charges in Camden County, New Jersey, you need to move quickly to secure the effective legal representation necessary to address your charges. If you are convicted, you can potentially face decades in prison and a lifetime requirement to register as a sex offender. A conviction will follow you for the rest of your life, making it difficult to find a new job, go to school, secure housing or engage in other aspects of a normal life.
Having experienced legal representation at your side may be your best chance at having your charges dismissed or reduced or obtaining the best possible outcome in your case. At The Law Offices of Stephen R. Piper, LLC, I am ready to protect your rights. I am attorney Stephen R. Piper, and I’m here to fight to help you keep your freedom and reputation.
Consequences Of A Child Pornography Conviction
Under New Jersey law, it is illegal to possess, view, share, distribute, receive, create or allow a child to engage in child pornography. A conviction for child pornography carries some of the most severe consequences under New Jersey law. Some of the sentencing possibilities for a child pornography conviction in Camden County, New Jersey include:
- Up to 20 years’ incarceration in state prison
- Fines of tens of thousands of dollars
- Lifetime sex offender registration requirements under Megan’s Law and its successors
As many child pornography offenses occur over the internet, many prosecutions for child pornography crimes occur at the federal level, as federal law also criminalizes activities surrounding child pornography. Possible sentences for federal conviction of child pornography crimes are equally as harsh as the penalties for a conviction under New Jersey law, including;
- Minimum of five years’ incarceration and up to 40 years’ incarceration, depending on the specific circumstances of the offense
- Potential sex offender registration requirements in the state where the offender resides
Of course, as with all criminal convictions, there are plenty of long-lasting consequences to a conviction for a child pornography offense, such as difficulties in obtaining future employment, education or access to credit, other financial services or housing.
There are limited affirmative defenses under state and federal law to certain child pornography offenses, typically limited to proving that any persons engaging in actual or simulated sexual acts in a video or image were adults, that there were no children in a pornographic image or video or that a person received an item of child pornography and promptly destroyed it and reported it to law enforcement. These defenses stem from the fact that most child pornography offenses require the state to prove that persons depicted in engaging in actual or simulated sexual acts were children and the defendant knowingly engaged in the charged offense.
Defense Lawyer Stephen Piper Fights To Protect Clients’ Reputations Against Child Pornography Charges
A conviction for a child pornography conviction will have an impact on the rest of your life, as the record of your conviction and the lifetime requirement to register as a sex offender will serve as a public black mark in nearly every aspect of your life moving forward. If you are facing child pornography charges, you shouldn’t have to entrust your future livelihood and reputation to just any attorney.
As an experienced criminal defense attorney, I can provide you with the skilled and vigorous legal representation you need to face your charges. I am a former prosecutor, so I am well-versed in how prosecutors prepare criminal cases and know the strategies they use to obtain guilty pleas or convictions. If investigators violated your constitutional rights to obtain evidence against you, I can challenge the admissibility of that evidence, and will work to make the state prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt if you choose to go to trial. Ultimately, I will fight to get you the best possible outcome in your case, whether that is the dismissal of your charges, an acquittal at trial or reduced charges via a plea agreement along with reduced sentencing.
Contact My Office To Schedule A Consultation With An Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney
If you are facing child pornography charges in Camden County or elsewhere in southern New Jersey, you need an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney who will assert your rights throughout the criminal justice process and fight to get you the best possible outcome in your case. Call 856-333-3586 or complete my contact form today to schedule a consultation to discuss your case and your legal rights and options as well as to learn more about how a criminal defense attorney can help you achieve the best outcome to your charges.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Pornography Charges In Camden County
Do I need an attorney if I intend to plead guilty to my child pornography charges?
Although you are not required to have an attorney to plead guilty to child pornography or other criminal charges, it is highly advisable to speak with an attorney before making the decision to plead guilty. An experienced criminal defense attorney will ensure that you understand the consequences of pleading guilty to child pornography charges, including potential sentences you may receive (even if you have a plea agreement with the prosecutor) and the collateral consequences of a conviction, such as sex offender registration requirements. An attorney can also review the facts and circumstances of your case to alert you if you have viable legal defenses to your charges.
Do I have to let the police search or seize my computer or phone?
As a general rule, law enforcement may only search or seize your computer or your cellphone pursuant to a search warrant. In most cases, the police will obtain a search warrant for your home, office and/or person that will include authorization for them to seize all computers, tablets and cellphones and search their contents. Absent a search warrant or court order, you should always speak to an attorney prior to responding to any request from law enforcement to seize or search your electronic devices.