Many people in Missouri and across the globe use computers and cellphones for all sorts of online activities. However, there are some situations where online actions may be prone to criminal charges and anyone participating in such activity is at risk. One man who was convicted of internet sex crimes was recently sentenced for his offenses.
A federal court convicted the 65-year-old man for receiving pornographic materials involving children over the internet. He was sentenced to serve more than 17 years in a federal prison with no possibility of parole. Beyond the prison term, once the man has served his time, he will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life.
The man had been in jail without bond since January 2016. He pleaded guilty to the child pornography charges in March. He had previously served another prison term for a prior conviction that involved first degree harm to a 7-year-old child. Reportedly, he began accessing child pornography less than a year after he was released from prison.
With regard to the internet sex crimes for which he was convicted, the Missouri man told investigators that he sent money to the Philippines on more than one occasion as payment for child pornography. Even those charged for serious offenses such as this man have the right to retain legal guidance. There are often several defense options available, and an experienced criminal attorney would be able to advise a defendant as to what may be the best way to address a particular situation.
Source: infozine.com, “Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced for Child Porn“, Sept. 14, 2016