The Internet provides a fertile field for criminal activity. One of the most common criminal uses is the solicitation of minors for sexual activity. The recent arrest of a Lafayette man on allegations of possession child pornography illustrates how easily the internet can be exploited in this manner.

According to the Louisiana State Police, the LSP Special Victims Unit and the U.S. Office of Homeland Security received a complaint from someone in Avoyelles Parish that an adult male was using Facebook to solicit juveniles to send him sexually explicit photographs. According to the complaint, the suspect allegedly created a false Facebook identity in which he identified himself as a woman. The false Facebook identity was used to entice young children to take and send illicit images of themselves.

The police used a search warrant to gain access to the suspect's home, where the images were found. During the search, the suspect allegedly confessed to a number of internet crimes involving child pornography, but the confession has neither been released nor confirmed. The defendant was booked into the Lafayette Parish Jail on charges of possession and production of pornography involving juveniles, computer-aided solicitation of a minor, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Police said that the investigation is continuing and that additional criminal charges may be forthcoming.

Allegations of crimes involving illicit sexual activity can be especially devastating to defendants, even if they are ultimately acquitted. Anyone who faces such charges may wish to consult an attorney who handles such cases. Such a consultation can provide a helpful analysis of the evidence and law that will determine the case's outcome, suggestions of strategies for minimizing public exposure and an evaluation of the likelihood of obtaining a favorable plea agreement or an outright acquittal.

Source: The Daily Advertiser, "Lafayette man arrested on child porn charges," Feb. 23, 2017