Costa Mesa Child Pornography Lawyer

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Child Pornography Attorney In Costa Mesa, CA

Accusations related to illegal online material are among the most severe crimes that a person can face. For those accused or under investigation, reaching out to a Costa Mesa child pornography lawyer without delay is crucial. Investigations can include complex electronic evidence and aggressive prosecutors who seek serious penalties that affect almost every area of your life.

These allegations are charged as California sex crimes, so it is important to hire an experienced Costa Mesa sex crime lawyer. An attorney who understands digital forensic evidence will know how these investigations are initiated and what prosecutors must prove regarding computers, smartphones, and internet usage.

About The Law Offices of Jacqueline Goodman

We represent people throughout Orange County who are facing serious criminal charges. We focus our practice on high-stakes felony defense. Our founding attorney, Jacqueline Goodman, handles violent crimes and complicated sex crime allegations.

Cases in Costa Mesa are handled at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. The Newport Beach Courthouse sits at 4601 Jamboree Road in Newport Beach, CA 92660, part of the Orange County Superior Court system. The courthouse serves as one of five handling felony criminal cases for Costa Mesa and the surrounding communities.

Ready to defend your rights? Schedule your consultation with our child pornography attorney in Costa Mesa at 714-879-5770!

Renowned Success Rate

Criminal cases are often complicated. There are two sides to every story, and it is important that the court sees the situation clearly. We can help defend you in your criminal case and make sure your perspective is heard.

The Law Office of Jacqueline Goodman

Illegal Conduct Under California Child Pornography Laws

California’s child pornography laws make it illegal to create, possess, send, receive, or distribute sexually explicit images of minors. A person does not need to actually produce images to be investigated or charged under these statutes.

Individuals who possess or access certain types of images on their electronic devices may also face allegations related to child pornography. You could be under investigation for multiple crimes related to the creation or distribution of child pornography, including: 

Child pornography crimes in California generally require the prosecutor to prove that the individual in question willfully controlled or possessed illegal material. Often, what a person knew or didn’t know becomes a key point of contention in these cases.

In Fiscal Year 2024, 1,375 cases reported to the United States Sentencing Commission were for child pornography. This marked a 34.4% increase from Fiscal Year 2020. The average sentence for those charged was 115 months.

Digital Evidence

Computer-based child pornography cases often involve extensive analysis of digital evidence. In some cases, investigators may monitor internet usage, file-sharing services, or track certain downloads. Law enforcement may then seek a search warrant to gather electronic devices from your home. Electronic evidence can include:

  • Smartphones
  • Laptops/desktop computers
  • Tablets
  • External hard drives

Investigators will then have digital forensic professionals analyze the devices to see if the files in question were ever present, viewed, or shared. Digital and electronic evidence isn’t always what it seems. New emails with attachments can arrive without a person knowingly saving them to their device. Someone with access to your computer could have viewed the images without you realizing it.

Computers can also automatically download images to a cache without the owner knowing. Your browser automatically saves pictures to help the pages load faster. If you have ever enabled a feature to synchronize documents through cloud services, you may have unknowingly allowed images to be saved on your computer.

Digital evidence can prove challenging to understand for prosecutors and judges. This is why many defenses revolve around how the digital evidence was collected and analyzed.

Hire a Child Pornography Lawyer as Soon as Possible

Many people aren’t aware that they’re being investigated until the police arrive with a search warrant or call them in for questioning. By then, the investigators may have already compiled a substantial amount of evidence against you.

When you hire a child pornography lawyer early, you retain the legal services of someone who can guide you in protecting your constitutional rights. Your attorney can examine search warrants, assess how evidence was collected, and guide you before any interviews with law enforcement.

When digital evidence is involved, early intervention by a Costa Mesa child pornography attorney can be critical to the outcome of your case, because simple errors and misconceptions during the investigation can have profound consequences.

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY LAWS FAQ'S

Costa Mesa, CA

Yes. If the defendant was under the age of 18 at the time they allegedly committed the crime, they will usually be processed through California’s juvenile justice system. Keep in mind that even though a juvenile defendant is being tried in juvenile court, they can still face severe penalties. Additionally, the charges against juveniles are typically more focused on getting them help rather than punishing them to the full extent of the law.

Contact The Law Offices of Jacqueline Goodman Today

If you have been accused of child pornography, it is important to seek legal assistance right away to begin advocating for your future. Contact The Law Offices of Jacqueline Goodman today to get started.