Florida Criminal Attorney Blog
After a four-hour long jury deliberation, a Clay County man was found guilty of arranging to meet a child for sex by an Alachua County jury on Sept. 13.
According to the 8th Circuit State Attorney’s Office, the 33-year-old man was arrested last year as part of an undercover sting investigation.
The man will be sentenced on Oct. 28.
The man was arrested in February 2012 during a sting operation where the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office posted an advertisement on Craigslist offering sex with a juvenile.
He was charged with soliciting a minor for unlawful sex using computer services or devices, improper use of computer services and traveling to meet a minor.
Internet solicitation charges between an adult and minor are viewed as a very serious offense throughout the state of Florida. The government has made it quite clear that an undercover detective posing as a juvenile online is not entrapment, and for every solicitation made, you could be slapped with a third-degree felony. This means that you could be facing five years in prison for every solicitation made. Additionally, Florida legislature has specific laws and punishments for adults who meet with minors after a solicitation has occurred. Any adult that travels to meet a minor for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity can be charged with a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years behind bars.
While Internet sex crimes are all fact specific, understand that any and all sex crime allegations are serious. One simple accusation can dramatically affect your reputation, relationships and possibly your freedom. If you have been accused of any type of sex crime in Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Middleburg, Keystone Heights or the surrounding area, you need the help of a Clay county Criminal Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton who can protect your reputation and work to minimize the potential punishment. As trial attorneys, we are here to help you understand what to expect should you face a sex crime charge or conviction.
The laws regarding sex crimes cases can be complex, but the Clay County Criminal Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can seek the best possible resolution for your case. As former prosecutors, we are well-versed with how the prosecution builds its case against those accused of sex crimes. For a free consultation to discuss the allegations against you, please contact us today online or call 866-608-5529. We can begin helping you immediately, so do not delay.
Photo credit: marsmet532 / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA