According to reports out of Coweta County, a child sex sting has resulted in some arrests. The sting was put on by Coweta County officials along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
One of the arrests is a local man who is now facing six felony charges. He was allegedly be in possession of child pornography. He has been charged with six charges of sexual exploitation of children.
The sting was apart of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. They received a tip which led to the arrest of the above-mentioned man.
As a Georgia Sex Crimes Attorney, I find it to be of the utmost importance that I state that an arrest or an accusation is not the same thing as being found guilty. Just because someone has been accused of criminal behavior does not mean that he or she has committed that crime.
When it comes to sex crimes in Georgia, most people automatically assume guilt instead of letting our judicial process run its course. The crime that the man in the story above has been accused of committing is known as sexual exploitation of children in Georgia. I have outlined the legal elements of the criminal offense below.
Sexual Exploitation of a Child in Georgia
O.C.G.A. §16-12-100 outlines the various ways that an individual can commit sexual exploitation of a child in Georgia.
- It is unlawful for any person knowingly to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, or coerce any minor to engage in or assist any other person to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual medium depicting such conduct.
- It is unlawful for any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or control of a minor knowingly to permit the minor to engage in or to assist any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual medium depicting such conduct.
- It is unlawful for any person knowingly to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, or coerce any minor to engage in or assist any other person to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of any performance.
- It is unlawful for any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or control of a minor knowingly to permit the minor to engage in or to assist any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of any performance.
- It is unlawful for any person knowingly to create, reproduce, publish, promote, sell, distribute, give, exhibit, or possess with intent to sell or distribute any visual medium which depicts a minor or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct.
- It is unlawful for any person knowingly to advertise, sell, purchase, barter, or exchange any medium, which provides information as to where any visual medium, which depicts a minor, or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct can be found or purchased.
- It is unlawful for any person knowingly to bring or cause to be brought into this state any material, which depicts a minor, or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct.
- It is unlawful for any person knowingly to possess or control any material, which depicts a minor, or a portion of a minor's body engaged in any sexually explicit conduct.
The crime of sexual exploitation of a child is classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony based on the severity of the crime, the portion of the law violated, and the age of the victim.
Practice Note
Call us today if you or a loved has been accused of committing a crime in Georgia.
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