DC Federal Child Enticement Investigations

The following is important information you should know if you are being investigated for child enticement. For more information on these charges and what you can expect, call and schedule a free initial consultation today with a DC federal child enticement lawyer.

What Should I Expect From The Law Enforcement’s Investigation After My Arrest?

Most times, a search warrant will be executed either before the arrest or immediately following the arrest where they’ll seek to take your phone, seek to take computers from your home and potentially work.  So that is definitely something to be aware of.  Also, in addition to online communications, they’re going to be looking for evidence of child pornography on phones and computers. If those are found on your phones then there is a whole other charge  or charges that you will be subjected to and those are very, very serious.  One image of child pornography carries potential mandatory minimum of 5 year sentence so again these are very, very serious potential charges.  Some will also be seeking a subpoena to get access to your email, whatever accounts you have to look at online activity and  get access to your social media account. Someone should expect all of that, all of those detectors and investigative efforts to be made.

Will They Talk To My Employer, Family, and Friends?

You should expect the government to try to investigate your private life and also your professional life. They will try to talk to your employers. If work computers are involved, then they may subpoena work computers.  The government will try to talk to family members.  If  they find evidence of chat or communication with people they believe to be minors, then they will follow up on those conversations, so it’s a pretty invasive investigation.

Will They Go To Foreign Countries to Investigate?

Well, first of all that US law enforcement will often cooperate with law enforcement agencies who are operating in different countries.  So while their specific US jurisdiction may not go into a foreign country, the US law enforcement agent can conduct investigations outside the United States.  There is nothing prohibiting that unless a foreign country prohibits it, but they often working in concert and US law enforcement agents often go abroad to conduct investigations and there is nothing illegal about that.

Is It Difficult For Law Enforcement To See What I’m Doing Online?

It’s pretty easy for law enforcement to get the information about you, as they have subpoena power.  If a law enforcement agent has been engaged on online chat, they know exactly what someone has been saying.  Now, they still have to prove it’s that person, but they know exactly who is the person using that particular email account  and they can get subpoena power and subpoena your online or social media contacts or records.  The government has all sorts of ways to invade your private life.

What Are The Biggest Mistakes To Avoid When Being Investigated For Child Enticement?

The first big mistake is speaking to investigators or to law enforcement agents.  That will almost never help anyone and in most cases actually ends up hurting in the long run.

The second would be no one should ever, ever, ever attempt to destroy or alter any potential evidence because that fact will be used against you and it’s illegal.  It will be deemed as what’s called obstruction of justice.  So that’s another huge, huge, no, no, but those are the two biggest mistakes that are often seen.