Sex crimes that involve children are punished harshly in Illinois and other parts of the country. There is a stigma attached to these crimes, and it’s not uncommon for the community to ostracize those charged or convicted of these types of crimes.
One of the most common types of sex crimes is child pornography. According to 720 ILCS 5/11-20.1, child pornography refers to the possession of images that depict children in lewd or sexual ways. The child may be nude or performing sexual acts.
The person does not have to be in actual possession of the images. Simply viewing child pornography on a computer for personal pleasure is a crime.
An Illinois man is facing child pornography charges after an employee at a law firm found images of child pornography on the office printer. The 62-year-old Elmhurst man is a lawyer at the firm.
Police were called to the office on August 27. Police searched the office and found a box with thousands of images depicting porn, all believed to be downloaded and copied from the internet. The man was in the office and was taken into police custody.
The man faces seven counts of child pornography and is being held on a $75,000 bond. The man is set to appear in court on September 18. If he posts bond before then, he is not allowed to use a computer or the internet and must avoid contact with anyone under the age of 18.
Defenses to Child Pornography
Defending child pornography is not the easiest thing to do, but there are some defenses that can be used. In this case, it would be hard to believe the man did not know what he was doing, especially since he is a lawyer. However, the story is missing some details. Did the man admit to the crime? Was he arrested because the images were found on his computer? Is it possible that someone else used his computer?
How was the search conducted? Was it done legally? It’s unlikely the police had a warrant.
Mental illness is another possible defense. Given that the man had thousands of images in his possession, it’s likely he has a porn addiction. Perhaps mental help such as counseling and rehabilitation would be a more viable alternative to punishment behind bars.
Contact a Skokie Sex Crimes Attorney
A child pornography conviction has many devastating consequences. Those convicted of this crime will face mandatory prison time. They will have to register as a sex offender. They may lose their job, and finding a new job can be challenging. They may lose the trust of friends and family.
Attorney Jonathan Minkus has been defending those facing sex crime charges in Illinois for more than 33 years. He will assess your situation and inform you of your options. If you are looking for a law firm that will put your best interests first and provide you with a solid defense, call the Law Offices of Jonathan Minkus today at (847) 966-0300.
