26 Dec Maryland man accused of child pornography gets 5 years in prison

On behalf of Jack B. Rubin, PA posted in Internet Crimes on Thursday, December 26, 2013.

Because many people are naturally protective of children, they have no tolerance for any offenses that may have been perpetrated against minors. A person accused of child pornography may be found guilty by the public long before the trial. It is the right of every American to have his or her day in court and either fight the case, or decide to enter into plea bargaining.

A young Maryland man, aged 19, recently received a five-year prison sentence in a federal court recently after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography, among other charges. In many cases, an accused individual may decide to plead guilty in order to obtain a more favorable outcome, based upon the specific facts of his or her case. This can lead to a reduced sentence in some situations.

The man allegedly contacted what turned out to be an FBI officer who was undercover in Washington, on an internet site. He apparently believed the FBI officer being the parent of a girl who was underage, and negotiated a meeting with the intention of performing unlawful sexual acts with the girl. He traveled to Washington and, upon arrival at the agreed meeting place, authorities arrested him.

The Maryland man was accused of child pornography in addition to illicit sexual conduct with a minor, to which he pleaded guilty. While each individual under American law is innocent until guilt is proven in a court of law, each defendant also retains the right to enter into negotiations with authorities to reach a plea agreement that will result in the best possible outcome for the individual. The decision to negotiate with prosecutors will depend upon the facts in a specific case.

Source: abc27.com, Md. man sentenced for possessing child pornography, No author, Dec. 17, 2013