Use of a Computer to Facilitate a Child Sex Crime

Being charged or accused of the Use of a Computer to Facilitate a Child Sex Crime is a difficult situation to be in. If this is the case for you or for a loved one, it is important to contact an attorney right away. Wisconsin and Federal Internet laws have been put in place to serve harsh penalties for those convicted of Internet Crimes especially those involving facilitating a child sex crime. The FBI and Wisconsin law enforcement have many programs put in place to monitor webistes that involve internet cybersex crimes. Birdsall Law Offices can defend against State and Federal charges of any kind. Internet Fraud, Cybercrime and Harassment charges can also accompany charges of the Use of a Computer to Facilitate a Sex Crime. The complex nature of these charges and accusations require the assistance of a qualified criminal defense attorney.

If you've been charged with a sex crime the attorneys at the Birdsall Law Offices located in both Milwaukee, WI and Green Bay, WI are ready to defend and protect you. Sometimes, what may be considered by one person to be consensual sex results in a criminal charge for date rape. Or, viewing a particular website – no matter a person's knowledge or intentions – leads to multiple charges for possession of child pornography. Sex crimes carry a lifetime of consequences and ruin more than just your reputation In addition to your liberty, you can lose your job, marriage, and children. People convicted of sex crimes can be publicly identified as a sex offender and, in most communities, can be forced to move. The criminal defense lawyers at Birdsall Law Offices defend people facing the fear and uncertainty that comes with being accused of any type of sex crime. Please contact us to call or email our law office in either Milwaukee or Green Bay today for a free consultation to learn how we can defend and protect you.

For a list and outcome of a few of our notable cases, please click here.

The state must prove 4 elements:

That you used a computer to communicate with an "individual"
That you "believed or had reason to believe" that the individual was under 16
That you used the computer with the intent to have sexual contact/intercourse with the individual
That you did "an act" in addition to using the computer to "carry out the intent"

In spite of the widespread media coverage of undercover detectives posing as 14 year old girls, and the existence of a TV show dedicated to the same "sting" operations, this offense continues to be committed. The increasing focus of law enforcement on sex crimes in general has led to a rash of these cases in Wisconsin and nationwide. A defense to this charge can be as simple as denying any intention to have sexual contact as the "intention" element can be difficult to prove. Of course, the nature of the "chat" is usually at least somewhat sexual in nature and can be used against you. The stakes have risen dramatically, however, with the passage in 2005 of a 5 year mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction.

> Wisconsin penalties for Use of a Computer to Facilitate a Child Sex Crime: