Sex Crimes

Houston Police Target Online Sex Operations

Published: Feb 24, 2017 in Sex Crimes

With online anonymity as a real concern, Texas law enforcement is making a concerted effort and specifically targeting online sex operations, proving it is difficult for individuals to hide behind computers. These federal and state agencies have several legal methods of obtaining identifying information associated with usernames and IP addresses. Obviously, they will do what they can within the law to obtain the necessary evidence and warrants to arrest individuals for online sex crimes. However, these methods are not foolproof, and the police can make mistakes, which will only lead…

Backpage Shuts Down Adult Ads After Removing Evidence of Child Sex Trafficking

Published: Feb 17, 2017 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes

Backpage.com, a website that hosts classified ads, which has been the center of controversy for some time, announced in January it would remove its “adult” section of its American website. The decision came after months of scrutiny and a negative report by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which found the website knowingly facilitated sex trafficking of minors through ads in the section in question. Backpage’s legal problems stem from a lawsuit by a group of underage victims of sex trafficking, collectively known as Jane Doe, in addition to…

How Long Will I Be on the Sex Offender Registry After a Sex Conviction?

Published: Jan 23, 2017 in Sex Crimes

Anyone who has browsed the internet knows that you can find sex offenders’ personal information through a simple Google search. While this can be embarrassing, the worries of a sex offender do not end there. For someone who has been convicted of a sex-related crime, the punishment extends far beyond their time spent behind bars. In most cases, registered sex offenders are denied employment and housing opportunities, even if they received counseling and have been labeled as a non-threat. This is even true when the offense does not involve sexual…

Internet Restriction for a Child Pornography Conviction

Published: Dec 16, 2016 in Sex Crimes

The sex offender registration was created with a purpose, but many of the associated rules and restrictions make it difficult for you to move on with life and establish yourself in a community afterward. Internet restrictions, for example, make it hard live and work in the modern world. Texas law does not entirely prohibit you from accessing the internet or having social media accounts as a registered sex offender; however, certain offenses can lead to internet restrictions that greatly affect you. If you are required to register as a sex…

Can You Be Convicted of Child Pornography for Streaming?

Published: Nov 14, 2016 in Criminal Defense, Sex Crimes

It is possible that you could be convicted of possessing or promoting child pornography if authorities believe you viewed sexual depictions of children through a streaming service. Under Texas Penal Code §43.26, a person commits a crime if that individual knowingly or intentionally possesses, or knowingly or intentionally accesses with intent to view, visual material that depicts a child under the age of 18 engaged in sexual conduct. Historically, whether defendants actually possessed these materials was never an issue. However, the legal definition of “possession” is up in the air…