Maryland Man Faces Child Porn Possession Charges

The internet makes it easy to look up anything you want. This is good in many cases, particularly for students who need to do research projects or adults looking for DIY videos to help with household projects. There is just so much you can find online, and depending on what you look at, it can get you in trouble with the law.

This is the case with child porn. Child porn charges and penalties are so harsh that a person can get arrested simply for looking at such images.

A Maryland man has been charged with multiple counts of child porn possession after police discovered the man had sexually explicit images of children on his home computer. The 22-year-old man from Aspen Hill was arrested on May 30.

Police began investigating the case in October 2018 after they were alerted that child porn images were stored and distributed from the man’s house. Law enforcement discovered the child porn with help from a detective from the Child Exploitation Unit. The detective conducted an undercover investigation over a file-sharing network and the computer IP address that the man used to transmit file was connected to his residence.

Police executed a search warrant on May 1. When police searched his home, the man confessed that he had child porn on his computer. After executing a second search warrant, police found a micro SD card containing sexually explicit images of three young girls. The man admitted to secretly recording the three girls while they were at his home.

On May 30, the man was arrested while at work in Gaithersburg. He faces charges of child porn possession as well as sex abuse of a minor.

Defenses to Child Porn Charges

Child porn charges are very serious. They are often charged as felonies, which means you need a strong defense if you are in this situation. Here are some defenses that may be used:

• The images are not child pornography. There are situations where an image is clearly child porn. However, if the subject looks to be an adult or the image was used for educational purposes, then it can be argued that it is not child porn.
• The person did not mean to download the images. Sometimes spammy emails open up inappropriate websites. Some of these lead to nude images, while some download viruses or even illegal images. If it can be proven that the person did not intend to download child porn, then they may not face charges.
• Someone else used the computer. This is a plausible defense if the computer is used by the entire family. It is not uncommon for one person to download the images, with another family member getting accused.
  

Contact a Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

Child porn charges are no laughing matter. Even simply viewing such images can lead to felony charges.

Make sure you have aggressive representation on your side. The Columbia child pornography attorneys at the Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, P.A. can assess your case and help you get the best outcome possible. Schedule a free consultation. Call (410) 774-5987 or fill out the online form.

Resource:

washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/maryland-man-charged-with-child-porn-possession/2019/05/30/73d32d3e-8334-11e9-933d-7501070ee669_story.html?utm_term=.82d32e0c04d0

https://www.marylandlawhelp.com/maryland-pastor-convicted-of-child-porn-charges/