Child Pornography

Child Pornography / Sexual Abuse of Children Defense in Pennsylvania

Charged or under investigation? Move fast and get experienced counsel. Sheridan Lawyers defends clients facing “sexual abuse of children” charges (often called child pornography cases) and related internet-sex offenses across Chester County, Delaware County, and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Our team acts immediately to protect your freedom, your record, and your future.

24/7 Response: If police are at your door or you received a search warrant, call us. Do not make statements. Do not consent to additional searches. Ask for a lawyer—then stop talking.

What Are the Charges in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania prosecutes most state child-pornography accusations under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6312 (Sexual Abuse of Children), which includes:

• Possession of depictions

• Distribution/Dissemination (sharing or forwarding)

• Creation/Depicting on computer (including alleged editing or manipulation)

Related charges frequently filed in internet stings or chat investigations include:

• Unlawful Contact with a Minor — 18 Pa.C.S. § 6318 (communications with a real or undercover “minor” for sexual purposes)

• Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, Solicitation, Attempt, or Obstruction

• Federal charges (when interstate devices/servers or large-scale sharing are alleged)

Every element must be proved: identity, knowing control/possession, the nature of the file, and how it was obtained/shared. Many cases hinge on forensic details rather than confessions—so the strategy must be technical and aggressive.

Potential Penalties & Registration

• Felony convictions carry prison, lengthy probation, fines, and forfeiture of devices.

• Sex-offender registration (Megan’s Law / SORNA) may apply; the tier and duration depend on the exact offense of conviction (10 years, 25 years, or lifetime) and whether the court imposes a Sexually Violent Predatordesignation.

• Sentencing enhancements can increase guideline ranges based on factors such as number of files, distribution, depiction of prepubescent minors, and other specifics.

Bottom line: Outcomes vary widely. Early intervention can mean the difference between prison with lifetime registration and a negotiated result that avoids incarceration or minimizes registration.

Our Defense Approach

1) Rapid Response & Damage Control

• Intervene before charging when possible; manage communications with detectives and prosecutors.

• Protect your right to remain silent; stop voluntary “follow-up” interviews.

2) Forensic Command

• Independent expert analysis of hard drives, phones, cloud accounts, peer-to-peer clients, and router logs.

• Evaluate knowledge and control (e.g., auto-sync, cache, thumbnails, corrupted/partial files, remote access, family/shared devices).

• Challenge hash-match reliability, chain of custody, and scan methodologies.

3) Constitutional Challenges

• Attack search warrants for lack of probable cause, overbreadth, stale data, or improper execution.

• Move to suppress statements (Miranda/voluntariness), devices, and derivative evidence.

• Litigate entrapment and outrageous government conduct in undercover operations.

4) Charge & Guideline Management

• Push to separate or dismiss counts; challenge enhancement factors; avoid distribution characterizations where unsupported.

• Seek alternatives to incarceration; negotiate plea structures to reduce or avoid registration when legally feasible.

5) Humanizing Mitigation

• Early treatment evaluations with reputable providers.

• Structured plans addressing supervision, employment, and technology use to present to the court.

What To Do (and Not Do) Right Now

Do:

• Call counsel immediately.

• Preserve devices in their current state; keep original chargers and external media together.

• List all devices/accounts (computers, phones, tablets, cloud services, emails, social media, messaging apps, external drives).

Do Not:

• Do not delete, factory-reset, or run “cleaners.” Destruction can create new charges and harm your defense.

• Do not message investigators “to explain.”

• Do not discuss the case on social media or with anyone but your attorney.

Collateral Consequences We Work To Manage

• Sex-offender registration (tier and reporting duties)

• Immigration exposure for non-citizens

• Employment and professional-license issues

• Internet/device restrictions and parole conditions

• No-contact, residence, or travel limitations

Frequently Asked Questions