Image Credit: Pixabay – Wetmount

Disneyland is a highly desirable place to visit, and some people might do whatever it takes to get there. For one Disney employee, he must have recognized the popularity of Disneyland when he decided to offer theme park tickets in exchange for sex with a minor. An ad that the 27-year-old man posted was found on Craigslist where he offered tickets to the resort if people met him for sex. An undercover officer found out about the ad, and pretended to be a 14-year-old girl wanting the tickets. When the man communicated with the pretend girl, he agreed to meet with her near a beach. The suspect showed up with Disneyland tickets and condoms in his possession, and was arrested. If this man lived in Jefferson, Douglas County, or anywhere else in Colorado, he could face charges of Internet Luring of a Child.

What is Internet Luring of a Child in Colorado?

The definition of Internet Luring of a Child, C.R.S 18-3-306, is:

An actor commits internet luring of a child if the actor knowingly communicates over a computer or computer network, telephone network, or data network or by a text message or instant message to a person who the actor knows or believes to be under fifteen years of age and, in that communication or in any subsequent communication by computer, computer network, telephone network, data network, text message, or instant message, describes explicit sexual conduct as defined in section 18-6-403 (2)(e), and, in connection with that description, makes a statement persuading or inviting the person to meet the actor for any purpose, and the actor is more than four years older than the person or than the age the actor believes the person to be.

If the 27-year-old was communicating with someone he thought was 14 years old online, and he stated that he wanted to meet for sex, he would be charged with Internet Luring of a Child. However, the news story doesn't state whether the man knew the pretend girl was 14 years old. If he didn't know or believe the pretend girl to be 14 years of age, it's possible that his actions did not fit the definition of Internet Luring of a Child. But, police will likely insist that they explicitly stated an age to him, and that the man still agreed to meet for sex knowing an age. In some cases of Internet Luring of a Child, an experienced criminal defense lawyer may be able to use the defense of Entrapment. This is whenever it's believed that the efforts of the police to catch a suspect ultimately led to the suspect committing a crime. Read a more complete description of Entrapment here.

[pullquote align=”center” textalign=”center” width=”100%”]Internet Luring of a Child charges are serious– you need an aggressive criminal defense attorney to fight on behalf of you and your future.[/pullquote]

Penalties of Internet Luring of a Child in Denver

In Arapahoe and Pitkin County, Internet Luring of a Child is normally a class 5 felony. However, it's a class 4 felony if it's committed with the intent to meet someone for the purpose of engaging in sexual exploitation (C.R.S 18-6-403) or sexual contact (C.R.S 18-3-401). A class 4 felony carries a prison sentence of 2-6 years.

Why You Need the Best Denver Criminal Defense Attorneys

Internet Luring of a Child is a sex offense across Colorado, which means anyone convicted has to register as a sex offender and follow the sex offender treatment rules of the Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB). The lawyers at the O'Malley Law Office specialize in sex crimes and know what it's like to be falsely accused of a sex crime. It's crucial that you contact an aggressive Internet Luring of a Child defense attorney early on in your case. Do not speak with the police. At the O'Malley Law Office, we fight hard on behalf of your rights to secure a better future for you.

Request a Free Consultation

If contacted by police regarding Internet Luring of a Child charges, exercise your right to remain silent and call the O'Malley Law Office at 303-830-0880 or fill out the “Get Help Now” form on the side of this page. Together, we can protect your future.