Internet Solicitation  

Internet Solicitation for Prostitution or Sex with Minors

"It was just fantasy! I was online talking to a person and I knew that it wasn't really a 13 year old girl. I could tell by the way they were talking to me. And we never actually met. The police can't charge me for a fantasy, can they?"

They can — and they do, every day. Fantasy is not a defense against the Internet crime of soliciting or enticing a minor, or the fairly new Internet sex crime of sex tourism (arranging to have sex with a minor in another country).

Much of the law concerning online sex crimes and Internet solicitation is relatively new. This means you want an experienced criminal defense lawyer who has a good understanding of technology and privacy laws, and one who isn't afraid to break new ground. If you are under investigation or face arrest on an online sex crime charge or Internet solicitation, contact The Henry Law Firm in Philadelphia.

Our sex crimes defense lawyers handle a dozen or more Internet sex crimes cases a year. We are thoroughly familiar with the current laws and the trends in enforcement and prosecution in this area. We have a staff psychologist on hand to help us prepare a thorough defense. And we work with computer forensic investigators to help with the technology aspects of Internet sex crime cases.

We have handled Internet sex crimes cases in Pennsylvania criminal court as well as in a dozen jurisdictions across the U.S. in federal courts.

The Internet is Not Anonymous or Safe

Law enforcement monitors chat rooms and Web sites like Facebook and Craigslist where they believe illegal activity may take place. They create situations in which unsuspecting people find themselves in online conversations that may go further than they anticipated, enticing an underage person to engage in sex acts on Webcam or to meet somewhere for sex.

Police also look for situations where they think someone is offering to pay someone (adult or youth) to have sex with them (Internet solicitation).

You Can Be Charged with a Crime Even if You Never Left Home

Because of the PROTECT Act, the U.S. government has jurisdiction over U.S. citizens in the U.S. or in a foreign country. Just sending an email asking what it would cost to have sex with girl in Thailand is enough to charge you with the crime of solicitation. You don't have to leave the country — or your living room.

You could be facing a 10 year mandatory sentence in federal court.

Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Internet sex crimes lawyer. If you are currently being investigated, you don't have to wait for an arrest before you contact an attorney you can trust. Your communication with a lawyer is confidential.

From our offices in Philadelphia and Media, our criminal defense attorneys represent clients facing sex crime and Internet solicitation charges in Pennsylvania and New Jersey state courts in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Allentown, Scranton, Drexel Hill, Camden, Trenton, Vineland, Millville, Atlantic City, Cherry Hill, as well as Delaware County, Montgomery County, Chester County, Bucks County, Monroe County, Lehigh County, Berks County, and Dauphin County, and in federal courts across the United States.