Teen Missing after Facebook Encounter

A 15 year-old teenage girl has been reported missing in Maine after allegedly meeting an older man she met on Facebook. According to the teen's parents, their daughter was in contact with a man who had a fake profile on the social media site. The fake profile has been deleted from the site since. The man was apparently part of a group of 3,700 people. Other young female members of the group reported that they were also contacted by the man. Since her disappearance, the teen's mother has set up her own Facebook group pleading for the return of her daughter.

The above case is an example of the offense of soliciting a minor. Solicitation of a minor in New York is covered under Section 120.70 of the Penal Code and is called "luring a child." The definition of this offense is luring a child into a "motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, isolated area, building, or part thereof," for the purpose of committing kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, incest, prostitution, sex trafficking, or of the use of a child in sexual performance. Depending on the facts of the case, luring a child may be charged as a Class C, D, or E felony. In these cases, a child is someone under the age of 17. Sexual assault is covered under Section 130 of the New York Penal Code, which consists of rape, sexual misconduct, and other crimes against those less than 17 years of age.

Criminal Defense Firm in Long Island, New York

Depending on the circumstances, sex crimes may be charged at the state or federal level and are among the most serious offenses an individual can face. Anyone accused of any type of sexual misconduct will need the services of an experienced and skilled criminal defense attorney. Some sex crime convictions will result in mandatory sex offender registration which means that you will have to report your location to law enforcement officials and the information will be accessible to the public. Sex crime convictions will also result in jail or prison time, extremely high fines, and a social stigma which can ruin your life.

The criminal defense firm of Prime & O'Brien, located in Long Island, provides full-service legal representation to those facing criminal charges of all kinds, from drug crimes, DWI, internet crimes, theft crimes, violent crimes and more. The firm has nearly 20 years of legal experience which can be put to use to defend you. The attorneys are former prosecutors who have a solid track record of effective results in state and federal courts. To learn more about how they can help you, contact the firm for a free, initial consultation.