Traveling to Meet a Minor Brevard County, FL

Traveling to Meet a Minor | Melbourne Sex Crimes Attorney

If you have been arrested for Traveling To Meet A Minor in Brevard County, FL, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney more than ever. In recent years, these case have been getting increased media attention and police are continually devoting more time, energy, and resources to investigating these crimes.

In simplest terms, Traveling To Meet a Minor requires proof of (1) a person’s solicitation for sexual activity with a minor (or someone believed to be a minor), and (2) traveling to meet a minor (or someone believed to be a minor) for the purpose of sexual activity. Typically, arrests in these cases stem from undercover cyber-investigations by law enforcement in which a trained officer will infiltrate an internet chat room for children or teenagers posing as an under-aged child. Other times, an officer will pose as someone looking for sexual activity on social networking sites like Facebook and classified sites like Craigslist. Once a solicitation for sexual activity is made by the defendant, a meeting is arranged at a specific location. An arrest can be made upon arrival of the suspect to the meeting location.

Florida Law on Traveling to Meet a Minor

Under Florida Statute 847.0135, proving the crime of Traveling to Meet a Minor requires proof of the following several elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

1. The Defendant used a computer on-line service, Internet service, local bulletin board service, or device capable of electronic data storage or transmission – to seduce, solicit, lure, entice, or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice – a child, or person believed by the defendant to be a child – to engage in unlawful sexual conduct.
2. The Defendant then traveled, attempted to travel, caused another to travel, attempted to cause another to travel within/to/from this state for the purpose of unlawful sexual conduct with a child or person believed by the defendant to be a child.

The mere fact that an undercover operative or law enforcement officer was involved in the detection and investigation of this offense shall not constitute a defense from prosecution.

Traveling To Meet a Minor is a second degree felony under Florida law and a conviction for such offense is punishable by up to 15 years prison and/or a $10,000 fine. In addition, a person may also face mandatory lifetime registration as a sexual offender.

Legal Issues

In defending against these charges, an experienced criminal defense attorney needs to examine and scrutinize the exact manner in which contact was first initiated between the parties, which party suggested a sexual encounter or mentioned sexual activity first, whether the alleged victim (or undercover officer) explicitly gave their age to the defendant, and whether or not sexual activity was ever discussed/contemplated during the proposed meeting of the parties. In addition, there must be evidence that the Defendant (as opposed to someone else) was, in fact, the person actually sending the messages.

Brevard County Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer

A charge of Traveling to Meet a Minor in Brevard County, FL is not to be taken lightly. One’s reputation and freedom can easily be destroyed by these allegations. If you have been arrested for traveling to meet a minor or any internet sex crime in Melbourne or in Brevard County, FL, Contact The Canina Law Firm today. With well over 50 years of combined experience defending against serious sex crimes in Florida, our attorneys will work hard to get you the best result possible! Contact ut today for a free case evaluation.

Brevard County Florida Criminal Defense Attorney

The Canina Law Firm proudly defends all residents of Brevard County and all cities and towns along Florida’s Space Coast including: Melbourne, Viera, Suntree, West Melbourne, Melbourne Village, Palm Shores, Palm Bay, Rockledge, Merritt Island, Titusville, Cape Canaveral, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach, Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach, Grant, Valkaria, Micco, Barefoot Bay, Scottsmoor, Mims, and Sebastian, as well as neighboring Volusia County, Seminole County, Orange County, Osceola County, and Indian River County, FL.

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