Eastern North Carolina Federal Enticement Lawyer
A role-playing episode in a chat room can quickly turn into a federal enticement charge carrying a minimum of ten years in prison. If you have been charged with enticement following a chat room encounter or a trip to meet someone in person, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
I am criminal defense attorney Keith Williams. I have dedicated my Greenville law practice to defending people who are charged with serious crimes in eastern North Carolina, including federal enticement charges. I am the only lawyer in the Greenville area who is board-certified by the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization in both state and federal criminal law.
A Serious Charge
Many federal enticement cases play out like episodes of Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator." An adult engages in a sexual conversation in a chat room with a person who portrays himself or herself as an underage child. The adult goes to meet the person and finds police waiting for him. The adult may have been role-playing and may have expected to meet another adult, only to encounter law enforcement officers who assume the worst.
In North Carolina, enticement cases are increasingly being prosecuted in federal court. Those charged face a minimum of 10 years in prison, even for a first offense, followed by registration as a sex offender.
Defenses in Enticement Cases
Prosecutors will know if you were in the chat room from your computer's IP address. One defense may be that someone else was using your computer. Other defenses may include entrapment or that you were role-playing with no intent to commit a crime and no intent to act on anything that was said online.
Seeking treatment before you appear in front of a judge can also show good faith and help mitigate the potential consequences you face.
Free Criminal Defense Attorney Consultation
Protect your rights and your future. For a free consultation with a board-certified Greenville child enticement attorney, call me at 252-565-4661, or fill out the contact form on this website.
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