The punishments for sex crimes in Idaho are some of the harshest in the United States. If you are convicted of an internet sex crime, the penalties can include a lengthy prison sentence and a substantial fine. You may also be required to register as a sex offender, which prohibits you from working or living within specified distances from schools, parks, public playgrounds, and other areas where children frequently spend time. Having a criminal record for an internet sex crime can also limit your employment options and even prevent you from renting in some buildings or neighborhoods.
If you are charged with an internet sex crime, you will need an experienced Idaho criminal defense lawyer with a strong track record in sex crimes cases.
Topics covered on this page:
What Is An Internet Sex Crime?
Under Idaho cybercrime law, a person under 16 years of age is a child. Anyone age 18 or above who knowingly, and with an illegal intention, sends prohibited content to a child via the internet or a device that can send such messages is guilty of an internet sex crime. As an example, in the internet sex crime of Enticing a Child, these elements must all exist for the act to constitute a crime:
- An internet transmission: The offending content might be sent via email, chat, text, or social posting platforms like Myspace, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or another web vehicle.
- A content type: The form of communication may be typed text, audio, and/or video transmissions of real-time conversations, photos, video recorded images, or other forms of communication.
- A criminal intention: In cases of Enticing a Child, a sender intends to lure, persuade, seduce, solicit, persuade, or entice a child by actions, or words, or both, into a sexual act against or with the person.
Punishments for Internet Sex Crimes in Idaho
The penalties for felony internet sex crimes in Idaho can include many years of prison time and fines of many thousands of dollars. But, punishments can vary depending on the specific charges and the particular circumstances of the event. A few examples include:
- Enticing a Child carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. (18-1509A)
- Sexual Exploitation of a Child is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000. (Idaho Code 18-1507)
- The penalties for Lewd Conduct with a child under 16 can include up to a life sentence in prison. (Idaho 18-1508)
In addition to penalties, to protect the public, Idaho internet offenders who commit this crime may be entered into the Idaho Central Sex Offender Registry, which can cause life-long consequences.
How Are Internet Sex Crimes Committed?
Frequently, internet sex crimes involve using online communication tools such as e-mail, chat rooms, Craigslist, Facebook, and much more. The list of cybercrimes that constitute felonies under the Idaho statutes is long. These are just a few examples of the kinds of activities that might constitute types of computer crimes that rise to the levels of State and Federal internet sex crimes:
- Sending a text containing pornographic images of children
- Sending an email containing sexually explicit material to a child
- Possessing or transmitting child pornography
- Making arrangements on the internet with a child to meet for sexual activity
- Using the internet to sexually exploit a child
Do You Know These Facts About Internet Sex Crimes?
People who use the World Wide Web are often uninformed about some important facts about internet sex crimes, for example:
- Sharing files across the internet can cause child pornography to be transferred to web users.
- Sometimes computer viruses can pass child pornography to someone’s hard drive without the person’s permission.
- Internet sting operations might use methods that constitute entrapment, and evidence of such activity can be used in defense against child sex crime charges in Idaho.
- A defendant’s computer hard drive might be seized and examined by law enforcement’s computer experts to obtain evidence of an internet sex crime.
A Chat Can Trigger Internet Sex Crime Charges.
Law enforcement officers often pose as minors in internet chat rooms and engage in sexual communications with other users in the virtual meeting space. Many adults are arrested by police when the suspects then attempt to meet the person who posed as a minor in the chat room.
In this kind of sting operation to catch internet offenders in the act, initially, the online interaction may appear to be with another adult. Then, during the conversation, the police officer engaged in the internet chat will say she or he is under 16 years of age.
Why Do You Need a Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer?
If you find yourself facing felony sex crime charges in Idaho, you will need the best criminal defense attorney Boise Idaho has to offer. Top Idaho sex crimes lawyers, like the team at Sawtooth Defense Lawyers, have the experience and advanced legal skills to win cases involving the most serious sex crimes allegations.
Your internet sex crime lawyer will conduct a meticulous investigation of the prosecution’s evidence supporting the charges against you. Your criminal defense lawyer is fully committed to protecting all your legal rights and your privacy. Your attorney will further help you preserve your reputation while working on getting your case dismissed or the charges reduced.
If You’re Charged With An Internet Sex Crime, Call For Help!
We are criminal defense attorneys in Boise, Idaho. Our firm have extensive experiences in defending people charged with sex crimes in Idaho. Our legal team goes to work immediately to get charges reduced or dropped completely, keep you from going to jail, and prevent your entry into the State sex offender registry.
