Columbia Child Pornography Charges

In The State of South Carolina, child pornography charges are very serious offenses. Individuals could be charged with this offense by having file-sharing programs for child pornography.

If you have been arrested and charged with possessing illicit sexual materials involving minors, a knowledgeable child pornography attorney could help you build a defense. They could collect evidence and may help you avoid the consequences of a conviction. Speak to a criminal defense attorney to learn about how you can fight the Columbia child pornography charges.

Requirements For A Federal Charge

Typically, possession of child pornography cases are brought in state court, but they could also be brought in federal court. The Internet Crimes against Children Division focus on catching internet child predators. While the majority of cases are in state court, there are child pornography cases that are brought in federal court in South Carolina.

Disseminating Lewd Content Involving Minors

The prosecution needs to prove that the alleged offender has possessed child pornography and/or if they have disseminated child pornography. This involves identifying IP addresses, going to the internet service provider, the ISP, and getting these records. It also involves proving that sexual material was downloaded by the defendant’s IP address. They would then have to physically get a search warrant and seize the computer or other electronic devices where the child pornography is possessed or disseminated. Finally, it involves matching it up and having supporting evidence for the Columbia child pornography charge.

Agencies Involved In Child Pornography Cases

In state court in Columbia, the agencies typically involved in pornography cases is the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The Internet Crimes Against Children Division is the primary investigative agency for these cases. County sheriff’s departments set up stings and have their investigators look to catch internet child pornography predators. They find people who do not want to be found, who are disguised by filenames, who are on file-sharing networks, or who are on websites where people trade pictures back and forth.

Depending on the type of sexual offense, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) could be involved. If the alleged offense is an international issue, sometimes the Department of Homeland Security is involved because of possible sex trafficking. A diligent sex crimes attorney could do their own investigation and build a defense for state as well as federal child pornography charges.

How A Child Pornography Attorney Could Help

Some important ways an attorney could help if someone is facing Columbia child pornography charges include conducting an independent investigation. If it is based on computer files, they would have their own forensic team come in and do an independent evaluation of where the materials are covered. Sometimes they are able to challenge the age of the person depicted in the pictures. They would also hire expert witnesses and do an independent evaluation of the computer’s hard drives. They start building an overall defense and mitigation case.

Depending on the facts of the case, the attorney may have the alleged offender go to group therapy for treatment or for counseling to build the mitigation evidence. Mitigating evidence would be presented to the judge, which show the reasons why a person should not go to prison and why they should receive the lowest sentence possible if convicted. Someone would want an experienced lawyer who knows not only how to identify all the defenses to Columbia child pornography charges but also to build a good mitigation case to present to the judge if they were convicted.

Speak to a knowledgeable child pornography attorney to learn about what may be possible in your case.