The Crime of Traveling to Meet a Minor – Criminal Lawyer in Miami
In Miami, any person that tries to solicit a minor for sexual activity through the internet or another electronic device can be arrested and charged with traveling to meet a minor. In addition, any person that travels either within the state of Florida or in or out of Florida with the intention of meeting a minor can be charged.
A criminal lawyer in Miami understands that many traveling to meet minor cases often involve a trained officer of the law who is posing as a child on the internet with the intent of trying to engage people into the act of soliciting them.
Possible Penalties in Florida for Traveling to Meet a Minor
Under Florida law, traveling to meet a minor is a second degree felony. This offense comes with a minimum prison sentence of 21 months and can be up to 15 years. The charges may also include a fine of up to $10,000 and up to 15 years of probation. In addition, the person will be required to register as a sex offender in the national database.
Defense Strategies for Traveling to Meet a Minor Offenses
There are several defense strategies that a criminal defense attorney in Miami may use in order to help reduce the charges in a traveling to meet a minor case. These include:
Entrapment Defense: If the defendant was convinced by police pretending to be a minor in order to commit a crime, this defense strategy may be employed. Especially if this is a crime that the defendant would not have committed under normal circumstances.
Lack of Intent: this type of defense involves proving that the defendant did not have any intention of going through with what they may have said they were going to do.
Mental State: this defense involves using the defendant’s psychological condition that may have impacted their ability to understand their actions.
Computer evidence: the defense attorney Miami will attempt to prove that someone else could have accessed the defendant’s computer to arrange the time to meet.
Unaware of Age: sometimes a criminal defense lawyer in Miami will use a strategy to try and show that the defendant was not aware of how old the person was at the time the incident occurred.
What to do if You are Charged with Traveling to Meet a Minor
If you are charged with traveling to meet a minor it can be an embarrassing experience. A person that is convicted of a sex crime is branded for life as they have to register as a sex offender. In addition, you may face a long sentence in prison.
Since the penalties for traveling to meet a minor can be quite severe, it is important to have a quality criminal defense attorney Miami on your side. A criminal lawyer in Miami will be able to go over your case with you and determine the best possible defense strategy to use in order to get the accusations against you dropped or lessened.
Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney handles a variety of criminal law cases, so call now if you have any questions.
View more contact information here: Criminal Lawyer in Miami.