How the Duggar Case Sheds Light on Child Pornography Cases
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve likely heard that Josh Duggar, the eldest of the children from TLC’s television show “19 Kids and Counting”, has been convicted of knowing receipt and possession of child pornography by a federal court. This conviction has created many questions for those who are afraid of child pornography charges, especially if you are concerned about wrongful accusations.
In this brief article, we spoke to a criminal defense lawyer in Tampa at The Rickman Law Firm to find out more about Josh Duggar’s conviction and how to avoid a similar fate.
What Is “Child Pornography”?
Under federal law, any visual portrayals of sexually explicit behavior involving a minor are considered child pornography. This includes drawings or animations of minors in a sexually-explicit nature.
As defined by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, child pornography is “any image depicting a minor engaged in sexual conduct,” including photographs, videos, and computer files, among other forms of content involving a person under the age of 18 engaged in any form of sexual conduct. If you are accused of child pornography, a criminal defense law attorneys in Tampa will be able to help you understand the difference between federal and state charges.
What Did Josh Duggar Do?
The allegations against Duggar have made headlines because of their severity.
According to the U.S. District Attorney, “[Duggar] was arrested yesterday for receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children,” the release began. “According to court documents, Joshua James Duggar, 33, allegedly used the internet to download child sexual abuse material. Duggar allegedly possessed this material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, in May 2019.”
Now that he has been convicted, Duggar faces up to 20 years or $250,000 in fines for each of his counts.
Can You Be Wrongfully Charged With Child Pornography?
Through no fault of your own, you may come into contact with child pornography. This can be as simple as loaning one of your devices, such as a cell phone or laptop, to another person who downloads child pornography, or as complex as being hacked on your devices and planted with child pornography. You may also come into contact with child pornography accidentally while engaging in the pursuit of adult pornography.
In order to prevent accusations of child pornography, it is crucial to keep your devices private from those who may use them inappropriately. It is also important to only browse sites that you know and trust to avoid hackers gaining access to your devices and to avoid child pornography in the guise of adult sites.
It might be frightening to think that you may be charged with child pornography when you never actually meant to download the materials. However, although you may find yourself wrongfully accused, criminal defense law attorneys in Tampa can help.
If you’ve been wrongfully accused of possessing child pornography, contact The Rickman Law Firm today to understand the best defense for your case.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.