Traveling to Meet a Minor Attorneys in Orlando

Protecting Our Clients’ Freedom, Legal Rights, and Reputation

Traveling to meet a minor in Florida is a second-degree felony and is punishable by up to 15 years in a Florida state prison. Additionally, if a person is convicted of traveling to meet a minor, they will be automatically required to register as a sex offender. Individuals convicted of any type of sex crime in Florida face limitations on where they can live and work, and their reputation is forever tarnished.

For these reasons, if you or a family member have been charged with the serious offense of traveling to meet a minor, you must hire an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately.

Contact The Defense Group of Orlando, FL, and ask to schedule a free, confidential consultation to learn more about our legal services and how we can assist you. Call us at 407-743-8430.

When Can a Person Be Charged With Traveling to Meet a Minor?

Florida law stipulates that a person can be charged with the crime of traveling to meet a minor for Unlawful Sex if the individual traveled any distance within or to the state of Florida intending to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with a child or whom they believe to be a child. Any attempt to use an electronic device or online service to solicit, lure, entice, or seduce a child for unlawful sexual contact is charged as a second-degree felony.

An individual may still be charged with traveling to meet a minor even if they do not go to where the child is located. For example, in cases where the alleged perpetrator sends a friend to pick up the child, they may still be arrested and charged with the crime.

If you have been arrested and charged with traveling to meet a minor, you must immediately hire an experienced criminal defense attorney. Your freedom and reputation are at stake, and you must proactively protect your legal rights.

Our highly trained defense attorneys have comprehensive experience handling sex crime cases and will fight tirelessly to safeguard your reputation.

Are There Any Possible Legal Defenses for Traveling to Meet a Minor?

Traveling to meet a minor is a serious felony offense, and Florida courts typically impose harsh sentences for those convicted of sex crimes involving children. Therefore, anyone charged with traveling to meet a minor must have aggressive legal representation to fight the charges.

Some of the most common legal defenses used in traveling to meet a minor criminal cases include:

Entrapment

Proving entrapment is overly complex and requires the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney. Entrapment occurs when a law enforcement agent persuades an individual to commit a crime that they would not have otherwise committed. In situations where law enforcement agencies use the “bait and switch” technique, factors such as who initiated the conversations discussing unlawful sex acts, the amount of persistence by authorities, the defendant’s expressed reluctance to participate, and any sexual interests they may have expressed are considered.

Lack of Seduction, Solicitation, Luring, or Enticement

One of the essential legal elements that must be proven in traveling to meet minor cases is that the defendant knowingly tried to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child or individual believed to be a child to engage in an unlawful sex act. If it cannot be proven that the defendant did not participate in acts that follow the guidelines established by Florida law, they cannot be legally convicted.

What are the Criminal Penalties For Traveling to Meet a Minor?

Florida takes a harsh stance on sex crimes involving minors. In most instances, defendants convicted of traveling to meet a minor are subject to a mandatory prison sentence. If convicted, individuals face a minimum sentence of 21 months in a Florida state prison. However, those with a prior criminal record will be subject to sentencing enhancement, resulting in a longer period of incarceration.

Some other criminal penalties include:

• Mandatory registration as a sex offender. Being placed on the Florida Sex Offender Registry makes it challenging for individuals to find gainful employment or housing.
• Mandatory sex offender probation: Those convicted of traveling to meet a minor are typically ordered to complete sex offender probation or house arrest after their prison sentence is completed.

For more information about the criminal penalties associated with traveling to meet a minor, contact The Defense Group and ask to schedule a meeting with a knowledgeable lawyer who can answer your legal questions.

Why Should I Trust Your Criminal Defense Attorneys to Help Me Fight My Charges?

The Defense Group has in-depth experience handling sex crimes offenses. If you have been accused of traveling to meet a minor in Florida, you do not want to trust your life and freedom to an attorney who needs more legal experience.

Instead, you must hire a lawyer who understands the state’s legal criteria to try and build their case against you. Our legal professionals are former state prosecutors and know what it takes to win cases.

Only a skilled attorney can launch an aggressive defense on your behalf to try to help you avoid a prison sentence and the social stigma that accompanies a sex crime conviction.

Our main objective is to obtain a favorable resolution to your legal issues. When we agree to defend you, we will conduct a thorough assessment of the evidence the state has against you to determine the case’s strengths and weaknesses.

Our defense attorneys are highly skilled at negotiating with prosecutors to try to have charges dismissed or reduced.

Contact our Orlando, FL, law offices at 407-743-8430 and ask to schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help.