Sometimes, laws in Denver and Adams County are dramatic when it comes to sexual offenses. One sex crime that brings our justice system into question is Promotion of Obscenity to a Minor. Let's learn more about this Colorado sex crime through an example of how it could be charged:

Tami and Joe have three kids and live in Arapahoe County, Colorado. They are also huge movie buffs. Whenever they watch movies, their 7-year-old daughter likes to sit on their laps or fall asleep on the couch.

However, one weekend Tami and Joe were watching an inappropriate film. While watching the movie, their daughter didn't fall asleep right away. Instead, she sat on her dad's lap, facing the TV during a sex scene showing nudity. Her parents didn't think anything of it. They weren't trying to get her to watch the obscene content. And, they thought she wasn't really watching or understanding it anyway.

Unfortunately, their actions could still lead to charges of Promotion of Obscenity to a Minor because of Colorado's ridiculous sex crime laws.

Promotion of Obscenity to a Minor in Denver and Littleton, Colorado

There are a few ways Promotion of Obscenity to a Minor, C.R.S. 18-7-102(2.5)(a), is charged in Denver. One way it can be charged is if someone promotes or possesses with intent to promote obscene material to a minor.

Even though the parents had no criminal intent, they were presenting obscene material to their child, who was a minor (under eighteen years of age). The nude sex scenes in the movie could be obscene material because they “appeal to the prurient interest in sex” (C.R.S. 18-7-101(2)(a).

Douglas County Sex Offender Registry: Watching an Explicit Film with a Child

You need an expert criminal defense lawyer who can fight hard to dismiss any unreasonable charges against you.

In addition to facing charges of Promotion of Obscenity to a Minor in Douglas County, the parents would have to register as sex offenders! What's even more odd than sex offender registration is that they wouldn't have to go through sex offender treatment, even though most sex offenders do.

To top it all off, after registering as sex offenders, they wouldn't even legally be sex offenders. C.R.S. 16-11.7-102 defines who is legally a sex offender in Colorado based on certain sex crime convictions. And guess what? People convicted of Promotion of Obscenity to a Minor do not qualify.

So, in hindsight, what exactly is the point of sex offender registration beyond publicly humiliating the parents? If they were seen as a danger to children, they'd be required to complete sex offender treatment in Colorado.  I think we need to reevaluate our sex crimes laws.

If you or someone you love is facing sex crime charges of Promotion of Obscenity to a Minor in Denver or Jefferson County, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent and contact an expert Obscenity defense lawyer immediately. Together, we can protect your future.