Internet Sex Crimes

Internet sex crimes are punished harshly in Oklahoma. Consult our knowledgeable legal team to discuss your possible defense options.

With the advent of the Internet came an unprecedented and previously unimagined type of crime, committed by those individuals who choose to take advantage of the ease of communication with others – particularly children – that the Internet provides. As more and more people use the Internet for both personal and professional purposes on a daily basis, the proliferation of Internet sex crimes has become a serious issue in Oklahoma and across the United States. With seemingly endless modes of communication available on the Internet, including instant messaging services, video messaging, Twitter, Facebook, chat rooms and dating sites, crimes that previously required face-to-face interaction with another person can be committed today with nothing but access to a computer and the Internet.

The Importance of Hiring an Experienced Attorney

While the exponential growth of Internet sex crimes in recent years has led to an entirely new unit of law enforcement in the United States, many Internet sex crimes are subjected to the same laws as “traditional” offenses. If you are facing charges for an Internet sex crime in Oklahoma, it's important that you are aware of the actions that may be held against you. Contact our knowledgeable defense attorneys at Atkins & Markoff to hire a qualified legal representative who can ensure that you understand the charges you are facing. There is nothing more frustrating and scary then being charged with a crime that you don't completely understand, pegged a criminal by an overzealous prosecutor. With our knowledgeable criminal defense lawyers on your side, you can protect your legal rights and have confidence in the caliber of your defense team.

Abuse or Neglect of Child/Child Beating

According to Oklahoma law, child abuse is defined as inflicting harm on a child, threatening harm, or failing to protect a child from harm to his or her health, safety or welfare. In Oklahoma, this type of harm or threatened harm can include, but is not limited to, non-accidental physical or mental injury, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse. The neglect of a child in Oklahoma involves abandonment or the failure to provide the child with adequate food, shelter, clothing, sanitation, hygiene, affection, health care and supervision. Under OK child abuse laws, neglect may also involve the failure to protect a child from exposure to illegal activities; the use, possession, sale or manufacture of illegal drugs; and sexual acts or materials that are not age-appropriate.

Indecent Exposure/Indecent Exhibitions/Obscene or Indecent Writings, Pictures

This is a charge that may be used against a person who willfully and knowingly acts in one or more of the following ways: Lewdly exposes his person or genitals in a public place; assists any person in exposing themselves in such a way for the purpose of the viewer's sexual stimulation; writes, photographs or otherwise prepares, publishes, sells, downloads or distributes any type of obscene material or child pornography; solicits or aids a minor child to perform; or shows, exhibits, or distributes to a minor child any obscene material or child pornography for the purpose of inducing said minor to participate in any of the above acts. This particular charge has become more common recently, as the Internet has made it much easier to download, copy or generate obscene materials and child pornography.

Guardians, Parents, Custodians Consent to Participation of Minor in Obscene Writings, Pictures

Under Oklahoma law, it is illegal for any parent, guardian or individual having custody of a minor under the age of 18 to knowingly permit or consent to the participation of a minor in any form of obscene writing or pictures, including child pornography. According to Oklahoma Statute 21, § 1021.3(A), individuals charged with this particular crime in Oklahoma may face a felony conviction punishable by up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $25,000, or both, with no eligibility for a deferred sentence.

Lewd or Indecent Proposals or Acts Involving a Child Under 16

With tools like the Internet, email and web cams available in nearly every household in America, there exists an unprecedented opportunity for individuals to gain unlawful access to children. According to sex crime laws in Oklahoma, it is illegal for any person to knowingly and intentionally act in the following ways: Make any written, oral or computer-generated lewd or indecent proposal to any child under 16 years of age; for the child to have unlawful sexual relations or sexual intercourse with any person; to look upon, touch or feel the body or private parts of any child under 16 in a lewd or lascivious manner or for the purpose of sexual gratification; to ask, invite or persuade any child under 16 to go alone with any person to a remote or secluded place with the unlawful and willful intent to commit any crime against public decency and morality; or to force any child under 16 to view any obscene materials, child pornography, or materials deemed harmful to minors.