Solicitation

Online Solicitation Defense Attorney Fighting Charges of Internet Crimes Across OH, NC & FL

Law enforcement agencies regularly conduct online sting operations, in which an undercover officer generally poses as a minor and communicates with other users. This is a common scenario that has led to many clients being charged with online solicitation or importuning. The Frey Law Firm, LLC has extensive experience representing clients who have been accused of online solicitation or importuning. If you have been charged or contacted by law enforcement, contact Attorney Ron Frey to discuss your situation.

In Florida, online solicitation of a minor is generally addressed under Section 847.0135, Florida Statutes. In Ohio, similar conduct is typically charged as importuning under R.C. 2907.07, and in North Carolina under G.S. 14-202.3 (solicitation of child by computer or certain other electronic devices to commit an unlawful sex act). In the federal system, these cases are typically charged under 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) (coercion and enticement). As always, these laws are subject to change and revision, so contact Attorney Ron Frey to discuss the details of your case and the current law.

Internet solicitation encompasses acts such as:

• Organizing a meeting with an alleged minor with sexual intent
• Befriending a minor on social media and encouraging sex acts

Generally, no actual meeting or performed sex act is necessary for an individual to be charged. Once an agreement has been made, a crime has generally already been committed and the consequences can be serious, so it generally helps to speak with an attorney early. There are ways to fight these allegations and these cases are often not very clear. If you have no prior record, see what a first-offense internet crime charge can mean. Please contact us to learn more about your options.

What Online Solicitation and Enticement Generally Mean

Online solicitation charges generally involve allegedly using the internet, a phone app, or text messages to communicate with someone believed to be a minor about sexual activity. Related charges, such as federal enticement, can involve allegedly persuading or encouraging a minor to meet or to engage in sexual conduct. In many cases the person on the other end was actually an undercover officer, and no meeting ever took place. Numerous federal and state statutes may be implicated, and the consequences are often extremely serious. Depending on the charge, they can include mandatory minimum prison sentences, sex offender registration, and other lasting penalties. As always, laws are subject to change, and every case depends on its own facts.

How Online Sting Operations Generally Work

Many solicitation cases reportedly come from online sting operations. In a typical sting, officers post ads or create profiles on dating apps, social media, or chat sites and pose as a minor or as a parent offering access to a minor. Conversations may move to text messages or other apps over days or weeks, and officers often save every message. Some stings end with an arrest at an arranged meeting place. Others lead to a search warrant or a target letter later. Attorney Ron Frey reviews how every stop, search, seizure, inquiry, investigation, arrest, or target letter came about, including how the conversation started and who raised each topic first.

Sophisticated Defense from a Trial-Tested Lawyer

We are a tech-savvy law firm that is well-versed in modern technology. Our internet crime law firm understands the complexities of the internet, the latest technology, and social media applications. Messages and account records are often central in these cases, as explained on our page about social media evidence in criminal cases. In many cases, we work with forensic experts to investigate the evidence and evaluate the details of a case. We are able to ask the right questions to challenge the prosecutor’s case and even the playing field. As a regular in state and federal courts, our law firm can navigate your case through a courtroom effectively and is always prepared to defend you in front of a judge or jury. Attorney Ron Frey is a conference speaker and published author, and he taught criminal procedure and constitutional law as an adjunct professor at Ursuline College.

Traveling Allegations

Some solicitation cases include an added allegation that the person traveled, or attempted to travel, to meet a minor after online contact. In sting cases, this often means driving to a location set up by officers. Traveling allegations generally carry more serious consequences than solicitation alone. Questions about intent, what was actually said, and what the person did after arriving can all matter. Learn more about Florida solicitation and traveling charges.

Evidence and Defense Issues in Solicitation Cases

Solicitation cases often turn on the chats themselves, and the full conversation can read very differently from the excerpts in a police report. Questions that may matter include how the other person’s age was presented, whether officers introduced the sexual topics, and whether the government pushed a reluctant person into conduct they were not otherwise inclined to commit, which can raise an entrapment issue. Intent, whether the person believed they were talking with an adult, and who actually used the phone or account can also be important, as can how devices were seized. Attorney Ron Frey carefully reviews the complete chat history, the investigative steps, and the device evidence in each case to look for weaknesses and defenses.

For a closer look at how Florida sting cases are charged, see Solicitation, Traveling to Meet a Minor, and Human Trafficking Charges in Florida, Explained.

See our page on Bond and Pretrial Detention in Florida Internet Crime Cases, Explained.

If You Are Contacted by Investigators

Many internet and computer cases in Florida also include a separate charge for unlawful use of a two-way communications device.

If officers reach out, make an arrest, arrive with a search warrant, or send a target letter, what you do next can matter. Attorney Ron Frey generally advises anyone in that position to stay calm, be polite, exercise the right to remain silent and speak with an attorney before making any statements. Every situation is unique, though, so contacting an attorney is a priority to get advice tailored to your case. To talk about your situation, contact Attorney Ron Frey at (844) 766-3739 for a free, confidential initial consultation by phone, by video, or in person.