Goldsboro Child Pornography Attorney
Vigorous Representation to Seek the Justice You Deserve
Child pornography is a category of sex crime involving explicit images and visuals of underage individuals. If you have been accused of possessing or distributing child pornography, you could be subject to state and federal repercussions. Strickland Agner Pittman is an experienced defense firm that can take a closer look at your case to determine your available defense options. We firmly believe in your right to justice in the face of wrongfully harsh accusations, and we are here to fight for you all the way. Don’t sacrifice the short-term and long-term penalties of jail time and sex offender registration without a proper legal fight.
Schedule an initial consultation with our firm to learn more today.
What Is Child Pornography?
It is illegal under North Carolina law and federal law to produce, transport, share, receive, or possess child pornography, which is considered a crime of child sexual exploitation. Child pornography generally includes “sexually abusive material” of a minor under the age of 18. Sexually abusive material can be any film, photography, negative, slide, magazine, or depiction in any other visual medium that shows a child engaging in a sexual act. Electronic visual images, computer-generated images, and sound recordings of a child engaging in sexual acts are also forms of child pornography.
Specific definitions of child pornography crimes are:
- Possession: Knowingly possessing, seeking, or accessing child pornographic material.
- Distribution: Distributing, promoting, copying, or financing the distribution (by conspiring, attempting, or preparing) any "child sexually abusive material."
- Production: Persuading, inducing, enticing, coercing, causing, or knowingly allowing a child to engage in “child sexually abusive” activity.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Pornography
North Carolina also has a mandatory reporting law, which requires specific professionals to report child pornography to law enforcement if they encounter it in the scope of their occupation. These individuals are not required to search for evidence of illegal material, but they merely need to report any illegal material that they come across. Examples of who this mandatory reporting requirement applies to include:
- Computer technicians
- IT (information technology) workers
- Film developers
Additionally, the law protects the above individuals against legal retaliation as long as the reporting was done in good faith.
Schedule an initial consultation with Strickland Agner Pittman to get started on your defense.
Penalties and Sentencing
Child pornography is a felony in North Carolina. The penalties will be based on the circumstances of the crime:
- Possession (third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor): Class H felony with 4-8 months in jail
- Copying or distributing (second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor): Class E felony punishable by a sentence of 15-31 months
- Production (first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor): Class C felony punishable by 44-92 months in prison for a first-time offender
Most convictions will also require registration as a sex offender for life.
If you have been accused of a child pornography offense, reach out to Strickland Agner Pittman for legal representation immediately. Depending on your situation, there are several defenses that may be available to you. We could prove your lack of intention to possess the illicit material or that law enforcement entrapped you in the crime. In any case, our attorneys are committed to seeking justice for defendants and will champion your rights all the way to the end. We will do our best to protect you against harsh and unfair allegations of child pornography.