Catonsville, MD CSAM Lawyers

Attorneys Defending Against Child Pornography and CSAM Charges in Catonsville, Maryland

Allegations involving child pornography can lead to very serious consequences. Following a conviction for an offense related to child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), you could be required to serve time in prison for years or decades, pay fines of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, and be subject to mandatory sex offender registration requirements. A sex crime conviction is likely to result in long-term restrictions that may affect your employment, housing, and many other areas of your life.

Whether you are concerned about a potential investigation related to child pornography or you have already been arrested based on accusations that you have possessed or distributed CSAM, you will need immediate legal help from a skilled lawyer. At Craig M. Kadish & Associates, LLC, we defend clients in Catonsville and throughout Maryland against CSAM charges. We have decades of experience in matters involving serious sex crimes and crimes against children. We will make sure you receive effective legal guidance, and we will advocate for your rights during your case. We will work to defend against a criminal conviction and fight to achieve the most favorable outcome possible.

State-Level CSAM Offenses

Child pornography is defined in Maryland Code, Criminal Law Section 11-208 as any type of visual depiction or representation of a child in a manner that is sexually explicit. Materials may be classified as CSAM if they depict a child in a state of sexual excitement or engaging in intercourse, sexual acts, sexual contact, sadomasochism, or anything else that may be considered sexual conduct. Photos, films, digital files, or other materials depicting children in this manner are considered child pornography. CSAM may also include images generated by computers that appear to depict identifiable children.

If you are accused of intentionally and knowingly possessing, accessing, or retaining CSAM, you will face a potential five-year prison sentence. Each individual count of CSAM possession may carry its own penalties, meaning that a case involving multiple videos, photos, or digital files may lead to a much longer sentence.

Offenses involving the distribution or creation of CSAM are serious felonies that may carry a potential prison sentence of as much as 10 years for each count. These charges may apply if you are accused of allowing or inducing a child to participate in the creation of CSAM, recording or photographing children as they participate in sexual conduct, describing or depicting CSAM using digital technology, promoting or advertising CSAM, distributing child pornography to other people, or attempting to facilitate unlawful sexual activities involving children by sharing identifying information about a child online.

Sex Offender Registration in Maryland

CSAM convictions will typically trigger sex offender registration requirements. A conviction for possession of CSAM will usually require registration as a Tier I sex offender. In most cases, the registration requirements will last for 15 years after a person is released from prison or receives probation or a suspended sentence. However, our attorneys may be able to help people in these situations avoid sex offender registration or reduce the required time for registration to 10 years. Contact us for more information about the steps we can take to minimize these penalties.

The registration requirements for people convicted of production or distribution of CSAM will be more severe. In these cases, a person will be considered a Tier II sex offender, and registration requirements will last for 25 years. Options to avoid or reduce sex offender registration may not be available in these cases.

Sex offender registration will place strict obligations on a person. They will need to report to law enforcement regularly to ensure that the information on file is up to date. People on the sex offender registry will face limitations on where they can live, and they will typically be prohibited from residing near schools or public parks. Certain types of jobs will be unavailable to registered sex offenders, and they may struggle to maintain employment and cover their ongoing expenses.

Because of the ways that sex offender registration can affect a person's life, defending against a conviction that will impose these requirements is crucial. At Craig M. Kadish & Associates, LLC, we work to reduce the impact of criminal charges and convictions on our clients' lives. We will fight to achieve outcomes that will avoid mandatory registration when possible, and we may also challenge the length of registration periods, and help our clients take steps to remove themselves from the sex offender registry when possible.

Federal CSAM Charges

Allegations of child pornography offenses may lead to federal charges in some cases. The use of the internet or the transportation or distribution of CSAM across state lines may lead to federal investigations and prosecution in federal courts. Craig M. Kadish & Associates, LLC has represented numerous clients in federal cases in Maryland and throughout the United States, and we understand the ideal defense strategies that can help our clients resolve these matters successfully.

Federal laws do not impose minimum sentences for convictions of possession of CSAM. However, the sentencing guidelines used in these cases may lead to sentences as high as eight to 10 years in a federal prison. If a person is convicted of receiving or distributing CSAM, a minimum sentence of five years will apply. People convicted of producing child pornography will face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years.

The United States Sentencing Guidelines (U.S.S.G.) will be used when putting sentences in place for people convicted on CSAM charges. Almost every case will involve factors that could lead to sentence enhancements, including using a computer to commit a CSAM offense or the number of videos or photos. Our lawyers understand the federal guidelines and the potential sentence enhancements. We can take steps to demonstrate that certain enhancements are unnecessary or excessive. Through our advocacy, our clients have been able to receive minimal sentences.

Contact Our Catonsville Child Pornography Attorneys

Accusations involving child sexual abuse materials are likely to be serious, and a skilled defense from an experienced attorney is essential when defending against these charges. Craig M. Kadish & Associates, LLC has the knowledge and experience required to successfully defend against both state and federal CSAM charges. Get the legal help you need by contacting our Catonsville, MD child pornography defense lawyers at 410-837-0020 and scheduling a free initial consultation.