Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyer Blog

A man who posed as a 17-year-old boy online was recently sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in Los Angeles after he convinced several young girls to perform sex acts during online video chats.

The high school dean convicted of the Los Angeles sex crime was ordered to pay almost $3,000 in restitution to one of the victims, according to Mercury News.

The defendant pleaded guilty in December to the federal charges of using the Internet to induce a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and producing child pornography.

Our Pasadena sex crime attorneys understand that the top priority of anyone facing these allegations is to acquire a strong defense team to save your reputation and to fight for your rights. Defending yourself in court is oftentimes not strong enough. Defending your reputation and fighting for your rights when it comes to terms of probation and the requirements of sex offender registration can be equally critical. If you are facing arrest or investigation, you are urged to seek the immediate advice of a qualified lawyer.

According to court records, the man created a false MySpace profile and used it to disguise himself as a 17-year-old boy named "Jamie." He then enticed girls to engage in sexual acts during webcam chats and uploaded the videos online.

The increasing popularity and efficiency of the Internet has led to a rise in such charges. These charges are all too often misfiled. There have been a number of documented cases of file-sharing networks and computer viruses that are found responsible for the presence of such illicit images and videos. In many cases, when child porn or any other type of pornography is found on a computer, it may be someone other than the computer's owner responsible for the images or videos. Shared networks run a high risk of unknown file transfer as well.

In all cases it is critical to contact an attorney experienced in sex crimes as early as possible in the process. Speaking to investigators without an attorney present is not in your best interest. Too often, defendants will attempt to talk themselves out of trouble. The embarrassment of facing sex crime charges may also give police leverage in encouraging defendants to talk when it would be in their best interest to remain silent until first speaking to a qualified criminal defense attorney. Even in cases where a defendant is offered probation, or other desirable sentencing option, the devil is often in the details. The terms of probation and the long-term ramifications of sex-offender registration must also be considered.