Ocala Internet Solicitation & Ocala Computer Sex Sting Lawyer

Whittel & Melton Former State Prosecutors 352-369-5334
Board Certified Criminal Trial Expert – Marion County Trial Attorneys

Undercover Internet sex stings are increasingly common these days. While the intentions behind law enforcement may start out as good (to protect minors from becoming victims of sex crimes/sex trafficking), the fact remains that numerous people are wrongfully accused of these crimes that they should never have been arrested for in the first place.

The most common result of an undercover Internet sex sting is people being nabbed for something they had no intention of ever engaging in. When you combine this with frantic individuals pleading with police to understand their side of the story, their situation is only further complicated. There is a plethora of mistakes that can be made following a sex crime arrest, some of the most common being:

1. Attempting to explain your situation to law enforcement
   Following your arrest from a sting operation, it is best to remain silent. You may believe that you are doing good by trying to offer up explanations, but you could be giving police and prosecutors more fuel for their arsenal when they twist your words around later at trial. Most people think they can clear things up by working with police, but let’s be clear: if you have been arrested, then their minds are made up. The single best advice we can offer is to remain quiet until your defense lawyer is present and can help you determine if making a statement is in your best interest.
2. Answering Questions
   You have the right to remain silent. You are under no obligation to answer any questions from police. You can be cooperative and explain that you are waiting for your lawyer. Your right to not answer their questions is to protect yourself. The penalties attached to a conviction are extreme, so you want to do everything you can to avoid this. If convicted, you could be looking at:
   • Jail time
   • Prison time
   • Hefty fines
   • Restitution to victims
   • Registration as a sex offender or sexual predator
   • Probation
   • Parole
   • Suspension of any professional licenses
   • Loss of gun ownership rights
   • Tarnished reputation
   • Damaged relationships
   The best thing you can do if questioned by police after your arrest is to just say you’d like to speak with your attorney.
3. Delaying in hiring a lawyer
   A very common and critical error people make after they have been arrested for a sex crime is to not hire a lawyer right away. It is not a good idea to try and handle these charges on your own, and we guarantee these charges will not just go away so ignoring them is not a good idea either. We strongly advise that as soon as you have the opportunity to call an attorney, do so. Your lawyer may be able to work with the attorney prosecuting the case and have the charges against you reduced or even dismissed entirely.

Let Our Ocala Sex Crime Attorneys Help You

Most people fail to realize that you can be facing felony charges just from typing a few words in a chat room. Even if you never actually met up with a person you were communicating with, you can still be arrested and charged with a crime. We will listen to your side of the story and help you understand what legal options are available to you. We will launch our own investigation and comb through every piece of evidence that the prosecution has against you so that we can develop a strategy that checks all the boxes. We will make sure your strategy is based upon the facts and evidence that is unique to your case/charges.

Do not worry about the website or social network that was used in your alleged incident as we have forensic experts that will analyze the site and any conversations so that we can identify all possible defenses. Many websites that use online services have disclaimers certifications that all parties participating in conversations are over the age of 18. We are well-versed in how these cases are prosecuted, so we can put our experience to work for you situation and help you fight back.

As we mentioned before, the crime of Internet solicitation is a serious offense that law enforcement aggressively prosecutes. You need to act fast and protect your rights by speaking with a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. The sooner you speak with us, the sooner we can formulate a strategy that can best suit your specific needs. Call us today at 352-369-5334 or contact us online for a free consultation. We serve Ocala, The Villages, and all of Marion County.