Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog

This past weekend Governor Snyder announced his plan to crack down on cyber crime. With an emphasis on protecting against identity theft, espionage and internet sex crimes - including child sex crimes - the governor has set up a new website concerning internet safety and is starting a task force to be under the control of the Michigan State Police.

While it is important to protect ourselves from cyber crime, it is equally important that the government to protect innocent individuals from being charged with internet crimes. Potential consequences for internet sex crimes - such as downloading child pornography - are serious. Not only do those charged with sex crimes face jail time, but also potential damage to their reputation and being required to register as a sex offender for lengthy periods of time. Registration on the Michigan sex offenders registry can create a stigma that lasts a lifetime and may lead to difficulties obtaining employment, living in the location of your choice and even attending the college you desire. It's critical to have an experienced Michigan internet sex crimes attorney on your side if you're under investigation or have been charged with child pornography or related offense such as internet solicitation of a minor.

Many times, those charged with internet sex crimes have inadvertently downloaded the child pornography or don't know they are sharing files of a minor. Similarly, often adults are legitimately trying to engage in conversation and meet another adult, only to be ensnared by a police officer posing as someone they're not and charged with solicitation of a minor. Many people don't realize but in Michigan it is illegal for police and FBI agents to use stings to entrap honest people in the acting of sharing files or soliciting a minor.

It is almost like a game police and prosecutors play - especially in the areas of child pornography - seeing how people law enforcement can charge for using their computers in the privacy of their own home for legal purposes.

Continue reading "Lawmakers Cracking Down On Michigan Internet Crime" »

This past week, the Michigan Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of David Mark Cole, a Muskegon County man who pleaded no-contest to criminal sexual conduct in 2009. At the time Cole entered his plea, the judge failed to inform him that he may be subject to a lifetime of electronic monitoring.

If you are under investigation for a Michigan crime, including criminal sexual conduct, it is important to enlist the help of an aggressive Michigan criminal defense law firm right away. An experienced Michigan criminal defense attorney can begin an investigation immediately into the charges and protect your rights. Remember - your rights are implicated at each step of a criminal investigation, even before your first contact through charges, trial and sentencing.

Here, in People v. Cole, Cole entered a plea of nolo contendere to two counts of possession of child sexually abusive materials and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, MCL 750.145(c)(4) and MCL 752.797(3)(d) respectively. Child pornography allegations are ugly. Unfortunately, these charges may impact your reputation even without a conviction. It's important to fight back right away. As the result of Cole's plea, a Muskegon County judge sentenced him to 17 months to 4 years for the child sexually abusive convictions and 23 months to 7 years for computer usage convictions.

Recently, police officers and other law enforcement officials have been cracking down on people for sex crimes for using their own computer in the privacy of their own home. Too often individuals are wrongly charged for inadvertently downloading child pornography while using their computer for legal purposes. Police and FBI efforts to entrap individuals to unwittingly share files or solicit minors is illegal. If you believe you were unfairly targeted or entrapped you need an aggressive Michigan criminal defense lawyer to fight back and keep you out of jail.

In addition to the prison sentence, the trial court imposed a lifetime of electronic monitoring. Although Michigan electronic monitoring does not "track" offenders, it monitors the whereabouts of individuals, it provides law enforcement a way to enforce curfews and supervise where individuals travel.

Continue reading "Michigan Supreme Court Agrees To Review No-Contest Plea In People of Michigan v. David Mark Cole " »

In a recent case the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Michigan, the court reviewed the sentence imposed on a man convicted of possessing child pornography, receipt of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography. In United States v. Dudeck, Gary Dudeck He received a concurrent 120-month prison term for each count. At issue is whether the man's sentences for "receipt of child pornography" and "possession of child pornography" were based on receiving the same images.

An experienced Michigan criminal defense lawyer is necessary if you are under investigation for or have been charged with any type of sex crime - including any charges related to child pornography. In addition to facing potential serious circumstances such as jail time and being required to place your name on the Michigan sex crimes registry, the allegations alone may harm your reputation. Child pornography charges are ugly that may stick with you for a lifetime, unless you fight vigorously to keep a conviction of your record. Contacting a Michigan child pornography defense attorney right away is important to begin preparing your defense and protect your reputation.

Here Dudeck allegedly downloaded images of child pornography to his computer and stored the images in his directory. He also allegedly downloaded thirty-three videos depicting sexual acts between adult men and prepubescent girls, as well as intercourse between prepubescent boys.

In Michigan, police and prosecutors frequently charge people for internet sex crimes while using their own computer in their own home. Many times, innocent people are charged for inadvertently downloading child pornography and other illegal files. Police and FBI stings that entrap honest people in the act of sharing files are illegal. An aggressive internet sex crimes defense firm can fight back.

Continue reading "6th Circuit Reviews Possession Of Child Pornography Sentence in United States v. Dudeck" »