Clearwater Internet Solicitation Lawyer
Clearwater Computer Sex Sting Defense Attorney
Whittel & Melton
Call Today, Do Not Delay 727-823-0000
Board Certified Criminal Trial Expert
Defending Charges from Clearwater, St. Petersburg all of Pinellas County
Undercover sting operations have been around for over a decade and are still going strong. These cyber stings are created to allow Clearwater or St. Petersburg police to create the opportunity for an unsuspecting individual to be accused of a crime, and when they do, police or members of the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office will arrest them and charge them with any number of crimes.
The most popular Internet stings are those that create the scene or opportunity for a sex crime allegation, especially ones that involve minors. The setup usually goes like this: police pretend to be a minor or the parent of a minor offering up the chance for a sexual encounter. Their goal is to get the person they are chatting with to agree to meet up at a designated location and then once they show up, the person will be arrested.
Even though no sexual act has ever actually occurred, the person will be arrested for a sex crime, such as Internet solicitation of a minor, travelling to meet a minor, and the list goes on.
Pinellas County Cyber Sex Stings can Be UnfairThe majority of Internet stings start on websites, like Craigslist or social media sites where chat features allow people to connect and make conversation. Communications may start out innocent enough and then move to a proposition for a sexual encounter, perhaps never even mentioning that the sex will be with someone that is a child in the eyes of the law. Once a response is made, then police will mention the encounter will involve someone underage. Even if the person on the other end of the chat goes silent, police will often continue to reach out in order to get them to revive the conversation.
While these stings are unfair, the reality is that you can be arrested and charged with a sex crime just by engaging in an online conversation and showing up to a meeting.
Clearwater Internet Sex Sting Defense Lawyers Whittel & MeltonWe recognize the fact that you may have had no intention to have sex with a young person. We have had numerous clients tell us that they only want to help the underage person escape a potentially bad situation or that they suspected it was a sting operation and were just trying to play along by showing up to a meeting location. Whatever happened, we are here to help you find the best possible defense strategy so that you can avoid the harsh consequences of a conviction.
If you have already been arrested for a sex crime stemming from undercover Internet sting operation, then the prosecution is already building its case against you. This means that you must fight back now in order to protect your rights and safeguard your future.
In some cases, we may be able to argue that another person in your household used your computer to commit a crime. For other Internet sex crimes cases, such as child pornography, we may be able to prove that your computer had a virus installed or that it was hacked. We will enlist the help of experts in with specialties in computers and the Internet so that we can gain as much favorable evidence as possible in order to build the most effective defense strategy.
We offer a free consultation for you to meet with us and explain your situation. This is where we will listen to your version of events and get to know you. From there, our sex crime defense team of attorneys will work together to tailor a defense strategy that is unique to your case and will yield the best possible results. If you are in need of our services, we strongly recommend contacting us today online or calling us in Clearwater or St. Petersburg at 727-823-0000.
Our team of aggressive sex crimes defense lawyers are former prosecutors and state defenders from the state of Florida. This provides us with the experience to view your case from both sides of the law – the prosecution’s side and the defense. We also know that anyone can get caught up on the wrong side of the law, and just because you are facing a sex crime charge does not make you a bad person. We will work with you and listen to you so that you do not feel judged or stigmatized for whatever charges you are facing. Whether you are charged with Internet solicitation charges or charges related to prostitution or child pornography, we can help you avoid being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
We serve Clearwater, St. Petersburg and all of Pinellas County, Florida.
Call us now at 727-823-0000 or contact us online.