Sexual Exploitation of a Child, C.R.S. 18-6-403, is charged in Greeley and throughout Colorado when a person engages with sexually exploitative material. It is important to know that in Colorado, there is no Statute of Limitations for looking at or possessing illegal pornography depicting minors. If at any point you look at or possess explicit images of children, know that you will never be in the clear. The Greeley Police or Weld County Sheriff’s Office may be investigating you, and it’s only just a matter of time before you’re arrested. If you believe you could be charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child, act now, and contact our top Greeley criminal defense lawyers today.
What is the Statute of Limitations in Weld County, Colorado?
In Weld County, Colorado, the Statute of Limitations / SOL is the amount of time that a District Attorney has to file charges against a person who has been accused of committing a crime. Often, this clock starts ticking because the Weld County Sheriff’s Office knows that a crime has taken place, but they don’t yet have a suspect. Alternatively, an investigation may be underway, but it must be complete before law enforcement files for an arrest affidavit.
Whatever the circumstances, the Statute of Limitations varies based on the crime that was committed. Some crimes only have an SOL of roughly 6 months. In the most severe cases, however – such as sex crimes committed against children – there is no Statute of Limitations. This means that law enforcement can take as long as they need to investigate a crime before making an arrest.
Colorado’s Law on Sexual Exploitation of a Child, C.R.S. 18-6-403 in Greeley, CO
Colorado’s law on Sexual Exploitation of a Child, C.R.S. 18-6-403, as it is recognized by Greeley, CO, is:
(b.5) Accesses with intent to view, views, possesses, or controls any sexually exploitative material for any purpose.
While people are also charged for distributing, creating, selling, or taking on any other role with sexually exploitative material involving children to make it more accessible, most are charged for looking at or possessing it.
What is the Statute of Limitations for Sexual Exploitation of a Child in Frederick and Severance?
It is crucial to know that there is no Statute of Limitations for Sexual Exploitation of a Child in Frederick and Severance. This is because one of the purposes of the SOL is to preserve the integrity of available evidence, which tends to degrade over time. However, given that the evidence in a Sexual Exploitation case may be found on a hard drive or somewhere on a server, this risk of losing evidence to time is minimal. Law enforcement can still easily find it.
One of the other reasons for the lack of Statute of Limitations is because it, like most sex crimes, is considered especially heinous relative to other crimes. Hence, the Weld County Court and Colorado courts as a whole are invested in bringing people accused of Sexual Exploitation of a Child to justice, no matter how long it takes.
What Does Having No Statute of Limitations Mean for My Case in Weld County?
The fact that there is no Statute of Limitations for Sexual Exploitation of a Child means that if you have ever viewed illegal pornography in Weld County, there is a good chance you are being investigated right now. Investigations for these types of cases can take several months or even years to complete. And, thanks to software like the Child Protection System, it’s easier than ever to detect sexually exploitative images on your computer.
If you believe you may be charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child, the best thing you can do is contact our top Weld County criminal defense lawyers today. Retaining an attorney well before you’re charged is ideal to proactively ensure the best possible outcome of your case. Give us a call today, and together, we can protect your future.
Have you been charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child? Remember to always be smart, and exercise your right to stay silent. Then call 970-616-6009 to discuss your case with one of our top criminal defense lawyers from the O’Malley Law Office today. Together, we can protect your future.
The location for the Weld County Court is 901 9th Avenue, Greeley, Colorado. We’ll see you there!
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