What Is Enticing a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity?
In Utah and many states in the nation legislatures have had to update their criminal code to include offenses that have taken place over the internet. One of these crimes is that of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. With the rise in internet sex predators and online sex crimes the Utah legislature found it necessary to create a new class of crime to deal with this new offense.
Utah Code 76-8-417 describes the crime as knowingly using using a electronic communication (thing text messaging, email, chat, internet, etc.) or an electronic communication device (e.g. telephone, computer, etc.) to solicit, seduce, lure, or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. A minor is anyone under 18 years of age. The state has a task force dedicated to internet crimes against minors as do many counties.
The severity of the offense is determined by the type of sexual activity solicited. For example, if the suspect solicits the minor to engage in sexual activity that is a first degree felony, then he will be charged with a second degree felony, second degree felony activity becomes third degree felony charges, etc.
Convictions of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity can result in prison and the requirement to register as a sex offender.
False Assumptions of Anonymity
A large number of individuals on the internet believe that their internet surfing and the like is completely anonymous and that their actions on the internet cannot be traced back to them. They view the internet as some alternate reality where they can do things that they normally would not do in real life because they don’t have to pay the consequences of those actions. In reality the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force uses technology that can trace a persons internet activity back to them and provide the necessary evidence to convict a person of crimes such as enticing a minor over the internet.
Most charges for enticing a minor derive from a task force baiting individuals through “anonymous” chats over the internet. They agree to meet a perpetrator at a neutral location to engage in sexual activity and then once the suspect arrive he is taken into custody by the police.
Defending Against Enticing a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity Charges
Enticing a minor is one of those crimes that brings with it social stigma because it is a sex crime. In many cases when a person is charged with any type of sex crime he is immediately shunned from society regardless of whether he is innocent. With so much at stake it is important that any individual charged with a sex crime like enticing a minor hires a competent attorney. At Salcido Law Firm all of our attorneys are very well experienced in defending against sex crimes and they know how important it is to the client to be able to clear their name. If you or a loved one has been charged with a sex crime in Utah like enticing a minor over the internet then call Salcido Law Firm today to set up a consultation.