A few years ago in Boulder, a youth hockey coach pled guilty to Internet Sexual Exploitation of a Child – C.R.S. 18-3-405.4. He was sentenced to 10 years of sex offender intensive supervised probation (SOISP). According to reports, the former coach contacted his team members (many of whom were under the age of 15) on Facebook and via text message in order to discuss hockey. Then, he began to steer the conversation towards sexual activities, and ultimately asked the boys for naked pictures of themselves. This kind of behavior in Denver, Adams and Douglas County leads to a conviction of a sex offense. This former hockey coach is now a registered sex offender, but before we jump to conclusions about his character, it is wise to know the whole story.

What is Internet Sexual Exploitation of a Child?

Internet Sexual Exploitation of a Child is charged when a person:

Knowingly invites or entices a person they know (or believe to be) under fifteen years old to expose or touch their own (or another person's) intimate parts while communicating with them over a computer network (online) or phone network (on the phone or with text message). Or, if the alleged victim actually sees the person's private parts online or in a text message.

This crime is often charged after people engage in “sexting,” where a person sends a sexually explicit image of themselves to an underage child. But, as in the case of the Boulder coach, it can also be charged simply by asking an underage child to send nude pictures or engage in sexual activity online or by text message. The coach never sent pictures of himself or approached the boys in a physical way.

Understand the Whole Story Before You Judge the Hockey Coach

While what the coach did wasn't right, it is important to understand the whole story before you judge. During his trial, the coach admitted something he had never spoken of – in 6th grade he had been abducted and sexually assaulted at gunpoint. He never told his parents because his attacker threatened his family's lives. It is because of this that a plea agreement was worked out so that wouldn't go to prison: his mother said she didn't' think he would survive while incarcerated because of his fear of confinement. After being questioned, the coach didn't understand that his actions could have a negative effect on the young players in his team – he believes he was simply engaging in harmless “locker-room talk.” Thankfully, the judge realized that this man wasn't a violent, dangerous sex offender, but instead was a man who needed help and rehabilitation.

Why You Need an Experienced Criminal Lawyer

Internet Sexual Exploitation of a Child is a class 4 felony in Jefferson, Larimer and Arapahoe County, which carries a sentence of 2 to 6 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. If you are convicted of this sex offense, you will be required to register as a sex offender and go through sex offender treatment overseen by the harsh Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB). Don't let your future be in the hands of an unexperienced lawyer or public defender. Work with an experienced criminal defense attorney at our office. We have over two decades of experience fighting sex offense cases – we work hard to get cases dismissed or work out a favorable plea deal.

Request a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has been charged with Internet Sexual Exploitation of a Child in Washington, Logan or Morgan County, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O'Malley Law Office for a FREE consultation at 303-830-0880, or submit the “Get Help Now” form. Together, we can protect your future.

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