As one might imagine, law enforcement takes any crimes involving children seriously.
Even mere accusations of indecent solicitation of a child can be detrimental to your freedom, livelihood, and reputation.
Do not take child solicitation allegations lightly. You need professional and aggressive representation.
At the Criminal Defense Attorney & Workers Compensation Law Offices of Arechigo & Stokka, we have dedicated much of our practice to defending clients’ freedoms.
Let us stand for you. Contact us today to get started!
Child Solicitation Minnesota Law
Minnesota law provides that any person 18 years of age or older who solicits a child or someone the person reasonably believes is a child to engage in sexual conduct with intent to engage in sexual conduct is guilty of a felony.
Under the law, a child is anyone 15 years old or younger.
Potential clients sometimes ask, But I never met or touched this person; why am I being charged with a crime?
The answer is the charge of solicitation does not require ever having met your accuser in person, let alone having physical contact with them.
The statute only requires that you solicited, asked for, or tried to obtain sexual contact or conduct from a child.
Rampant internet use and social apps make it easy to slip into dangerous territory and find yourself in trouble.
If there is even a whisper that an individual you are communicating with online might be a child, it is critical to cease conversations immediately.
Penalties for Child Solicitation Conviction
Child solicitation is a serious offense with stiff penalties. If you are found guilty of child solicitation, you could be sentenced to:
- Imprisonment for up to five years,
- A fine of up to $10,000, or
- A combination of both.
In addition, you will likely be required to register as a sex offender.
In many respects, registration as a sex offender is worse than any prison time because it will stay with you long after your sentence is complete.
It will most certainly impact your ability to obtain and maintain gainful employment.
It will also hinder your ability to apply to educational or vocational programs, enroll in the military, and receive financial loans.
Sex offender registration further affects your freedom by restricting your ability to go to or move to certain places.
Often restrictions will require you to stay away from schools or any place children usually congregate.
Do I Need An Attorney?
A child solicitation charge is difficult but not impossible to beat.
Successfully defending a child solicitation charge takes a sharp criminal defense attorney’s knowledge, skill, and experience.
The statute explicitly states that a mistaken belief that the person was of age and the involvement of undercover law enforcement are not defenses against prosecution.
Having a defense attorney familiar with the process, courts, and the law is crucial to your defense.
Minnesota Child Solicitation Defense Attorney
Being accused of any crime involving a child jeopardizes your freedom and reputation.
At Arechigo & Stokka, our criminal defense attorneys have decades of experience fighting for the rights of individuals accused of crimes.
If you have been charged with child solicitation in Minnesota, don’t wait until it’s too late. Contact us for a confidential, no-cost consultation.
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