Non-Contact Sex Offenses

A number of sex offenses with very serious consequences do not involve any actual physical contact with a “victim.” At the Meryhew Law Group we see an increasing number of clients charged with offenses after having talking about sex online with a fictitious teenager who turns out to be a Police Detective, as well as a growing number of child pornography related offenses. These so-called “non-contact” sex offenses may seem like no big thing, but in fact law enforcement has made it a priority to go after these individuals.

Viewing and Possessing Child Pornography

A growing emphasis for law enfocement is prosecuting those who view, download and share child pornography. Federal and state law enforcement task forces are working to arrest and prosecute as many of these offenders as they can, and that emphasis is reflected in the growing number of these offenses we see in our caseload. Sometimes the police use tools to grab communications from online during transmission to identify these offenses, and other times it is the internet services providers who report that an image that is known to be child pornography has gone through their server. However they find the person, once they do the service of a search warrant is not far behind.

Internet Crimes Against Fake Children

Another growing area of prosecution is Internet stings where a middle-aged Detective pretends to be a minor and engages in sexual chat or even solicitation of prostitution. Despite the fact that these stings have been featured prominently on television and in the news for years we continue to see a large number of clients who fall for these stings.

Treatment for Non-Contact Sex Offenses

The tools that are used to evaluate and treat people who commit hands-on sexual offenses are also used to treat those convicted of non-contact offenses, though there are important differences between these classes of offenses. The risk to the community from a person convicted of a non-contact sex offense, for example, is usually significantly lower than for those who commit hands-on offenses. When choosing a psychosexual evaluator and treatment provider it is critical that these differences be considered, and that the provider have the expertise to make these distinctions.

At the Meryhew Law Group we have extensive experience working with clients accused of non-contact sex offenses. We understand their treatment needs and we work closely with appropriate treatment providers and evaluators to insure that our client’s risk to the community is not overstated. If you have been accused of a non-contact sex offense you need an attorney who understands these differences. Call the Meryhew Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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