Crimes against children are penalized especially harshly in the United States. Not only can a child-related offense result in heavy fees and jail time, but the defendant may also be required to register as a sex offender. This means that his or her name, address, picture, and a description of the crimes he or she has been convicted of will appear on the Texas Public Sex Offender Registry. A conviction of possession or promotion of child pornography can result in considerable imprisonment as well as a lifetime of stigma. If you or someone you know has been charged with possession or promotion of child pornography, it is imperative that you contact a skilled criminal defense attorney as soon as possible so that you can start building a strong defense against the charges.

Possessing Child Pornography

Owning visual material that depicts a person under age 18 engaging in sexual conduct is against the law in all 50 states, including Texas. A child pornography charge may result from digital images or videos found on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. It may also result from physical photographs or videos stored on DVDs or other mediums. Possession of child pornography is a third-degree felony in Texas. It is punishable by 2-10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. A second conviction for possession of child pornography is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years of incarceration. If an individual is convicted of possessing child pornography for a third or subsequent time, he or she can face up to 99 years in prison.