Image Credit: Pixabay – stokpic

The term “revenge porn” has only recently become common. With the increase in the use of social media and mobile devices, our culture is changing rapidly, and laws are slowly catching up. Until last year, there wasn't a clear-cut law which addressed the posting of nude photos online without permission. In fact, there were entire sites for the purpose of getting revenge on former lovers. These sites, called “revenge porn” sites, are now being called into question and prosecuted. I recently read an article about a man who ran such a site – he has now been charged with multiple crimes. Let's take a look at revenge porn and what you will be charged with if you post private, intimate photos online without permission in Denver, Arapahoe, or Jefferson County.

What is Revenge Porn?

Revenge porn is way to get back at someone you were in a relationship with. Let's say Peggy and Ian are in a sexual relationship. One day, Peggy learns that Ian is cheating on her when she finds nude photos of another woman on his phone. She immediately posts the images online as a way to get revenge on both Ian and his new fling. In Adams, El Paso, and Douglas County, and across Colorado, Peggy's actions are illegal and a crime in Colorado

What Would I Be Charged With?

Posting a Private Image for Harassment is the formal name for the crime you would be charged with if you posted revenge porn.

If you post a sexual photo online for the purpose of revenge, you will be charged with Posting a Private Image for Harassment – C.R.S. 18-7-107 (learn more about the revenge porn law here). In Colorado, Posting a Private Image for Harassment is a class 1 misdemeanor offense. This means it could result in up to 6 months in jail. But, there is an added element – if you posted an image of the person you used to be in a relationship with, the sentence-enhancer of Domestic Violence will be added. If you are convicted of a DV offense, you will be required to complete treatment overseen by the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB), and your sentence will be harsher in Summit, Grand, or Archuleta County. Additionally, the Domestic Violence label can have implications under federal law for firearms possession.

Revenge Porn Website Owner Charged

The owner of the revenge porn website would allow people to post images, and then try to extort money from the victims in order to remove the images. The law went into effect after he set up the website, so he wasn't charged under the new law. Instead, he was convicted of 27 criminal counts, including Identity Theft and Extortion. He faces up to 20 years in the Department of Corrections.

Did You Post a Photo for Revenge? Contact the Best Criminal Defense Lawyer Immediately

If you were in a relationship that went sour, and you posted a photo you knew you should have kept private, but went ahead and put it on the internet out of a desire for revenge, contact one of our expert criminal defense lawyers immediately. While a conviction under the revenge porn law is only a misdemeanor offense, it won't look good on your criminal record. You'll have to explain it away every time you try to get a job or rent a home. Don't let a moment of frustration and revenge follow you for the rest of your life. Instead, contact a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney for a free consultation to get the best possible outcome in your case.

Request a Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has been charged with Posting a Private Image for Harassment, 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. Together, we can protect your future.