What Qualifies as Solicitation of a Minor?
Solicitation is asking, encouraging, causing, or coercing a person to engage in a sexual act. When that person is under the age of 16, it qualifies as solicitation of a minor. There is no requirement that any act actually occurred, merely that the adult solicited the minor.
What's the Difference Between Solicitation and Prostitution?
Legally speaking, solicitation refers to offering something of value in exchange for a sexual or lewd favor, whereas prostitution is the act of providing sexual or lewd favors in exchange for something of value, most often money.
Is it Illegal to Talk to a Minor Online?
Talking to a minor online isn't automatically illegal. It all depends on why you are contacting the other person. Suggestive language or sexual requests can result in a criminal charge. Using the Internet to arrange a meeting with a minor for lewd and lascivious acts can be charged as a felony and is punishable by up to 3 years in state prison and lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Read Also: What if a Minor Lies About Their Age Online?
What is the Federal Sentence for Online Solicitation of a Minor?
Under U.S. Code 18 Sections 2422 and 2423, punishment for solicitation of a minor over the Internet can result in fines of up to $250,000, 10 years in jail for a misdemeanor charge, and a maximum sentence of life in prison for a felony charge.
What is the Defense for Solicitation of a Minor?
Criminal defense attorneys draw upon certain legal strategies to challenge the solicitation of minor charges. These strategies include attempting to demonstrate that the accused:
- Had no intent or purpose to engage in a sexual act with the minor
- Did not know or believe that the alleged “victim” was a minor, and/or
- Was entrapped.
Related Articles:
- What is Second Degree Sexual Assault?
- How to Beat a Sexual Assault Charge?
- Difference Between Molestation and Sexual Abuse
See the other sexual abuse lawsuits we've taken on.
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