Los Angeles Luring Defense Attorneys
Work with a Skilled & Aggressive Criminal Defense Team
Have you or a loved one been accused of or arrested for luring in Southern California? Luring is the attempt to convince a minor to engage in sexual activity or child pornography. This is a serious sex crime that can come with severe penalties and social stigmas. If you are looking for a skilled and aggressive luring defense attorney in the Los Angeles area, contact Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP. Our criminal defense team has helped thousands of clients receive the best possible outcome on their case. With our extensive knowledge of criminal defense in California, we are confident we can look at your case from every angle and come up with the defense that works best for you.
Contact Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP today at 888-643-2943 or online to schedule your free consultation.
What is Luring?
In California, it is illegal to encourage a minor to engage in sexual activity, regardless of the methods or whether or not a meeting actually occurs.
Forms of luring include but are not limited to:
- Sending matter of a sexual nature to a minor over the phone, online, or in the mail
- Contacting a child to arrange a meeting
- Encouraging a child to expose their genitals
- Exposing one’s genitals to a child
- Persuading a minor to leave their home with you
- Kidnapping a minor
In some cases, a person may not even realize their behavior constitutes or implies luring—such as casually exchanging pleasantries with an unaccompanied child in public. If someone has misconstrued your behavior or intentions with a child a luring and you are under investigation, we can help.
Penalties for Luring
Seducing a minor is considered a misdemeanor, which can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. Any subsequent arrests are charged as felonies. This means fines of up to $10,000 and up to three years in prison. If there is a criminal history of similar offenses, jail time may be increased.
If found guilty of contacting a minor intending to commit a sexual offense, you may be responsible for a fine of up to $5,000 and one year in jail. Subsequent convictions include more fines and longer prison sentences. You may also have to register as a sex offender in the state of California.
Depending on the specific circumstances of your case, penalties may be increased or decreased. Factors include whether this was a first or repeat offense, if violence was involved, what your intentions were, and how much physical evidence there is against you.
Contact us today to get started.
