Child Porn Sting Operation: Are they Legal? - California Child Pornography Lawyer

California child pornography laws make it illegal to produce, advertise, sell, distribute or possess images portraying children under the age of 18 engaged in stimulating sexual conduct. Offenders face harsh and life-altering consequences, as well as the humiliation and negative stigma in the community. If you are under investigation or have been charged for violating child pornography laws, it is crucial to contact a child pornography lawyer as soon as possible.

The internet has become the primary medium through which people search for, purchase and obtain child pornography. There are numerous sites that either provides or sell images and videos of minors engaged in apparent or simulated sexual activity that is strictly in violation of California Penal Code Section 311.

How a Child Pornography Sting Operation is Conducted

To battle this growing problem, California state authorities operate internet sting operations to arrest and prevent individuals on both the sales and buying sides of these illegal transactions. If you are caught on either end of these operations, you should immediately consult with a Wallin & Klarich child pornography lawyer to protect your legal rights.

On the sales side, undercover agents search the internet for child pornography by posing as purchasers to locate the providers. Once they find the sellers of child pornography, they make arrests. On the buying side of internet sting operations, agents set up decoy websites pretending to sell child pornography. Once the buyers provide their information on these decoy websites, the state authorities make their arrests.

Another way of operating internet stings is for undercover agents to participate in pedophile chat rooms and bait participants to share child porn materials.

Overall, the purpose of these types of internet sting operations is two-fold. The primary reason is to find and arrest child predators and individuals who engage in the child pornography trade. And secondly, the police use these sting operations to send a message to the community that the internet is a dangerous place for such activities and thus discourage online offenders.

Call Wallin & Klarich Today

If you are under investigation, or have already been charged with the crime of child pornography based on a sting operation, you need to get experienced legal defense on your side by hiring a child pornography lawyer as soon as possible. You will be fighting a prosecutor’s office that has made it a point to arrest as many people as possible on these charges.

With offices in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, Victorville, West Covina, San Diego, Torrance and Sherman Oaks., there is an experienced Wallin & Klarich criminal defense available near you no matter where you work or live.