• 14
  • December
    2011

Despite a study from Harvard Business School that found Utah residents are the top per capita subscribers to adult online content, the state has some of the toughest internet pornography laws in the country. Substantial Utah law enforcement resources have been dedicated to detecting illegal pornography activity on the internet, particularly when it comes to child porn.

Because of the aggressive approach to these types of crimes, it's important for Utah residents and those accused of online sexual misconduct to understand the repercussions in Utah for a sex crimes conviction.

How Police Quickly Track Down Internet Users

Some internet users may be surprised to discover just how quickly law enforcement authorities can track down individual web users. Not only that, they may be startled to know that their electronic equipment can be seized under the law based on a minimal level of suspicion.

An Internet Protocol address (more commonly known as an IP address) is a number assigned to each device in a given computer network. Devices in the same network that use the Internet Protocol to communicate (a computer, printer, etc.) are connected to the same IP address.

When you visit a website, your IP address is used to identify you so that the site knows where to send its pages. It is relatively easy for police to check a website's log to see which IP addresses content has been delivered to. Then, it is a simple matter of tracking the IP address to an internet provider and finding the person the specific IP address belongs to.

Pornography Possession Crimes and Seizure of Electronic Devices

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided that the First Amendment prohibits states from making private possession of obscene material in the home a crime. However, states like Utah, for example have found ways to still pass pornography laws. In Utah, it is illegal to create, transport or distribute any type of pornography.

Suspicion can fall on an individual in many ways, from clicking on the wrong site to getting tagged in an online police sting operation. But, however it happens, once police have probable cause (a belief based on facts that can be articulated) of a crime, they can usually seize all of that person's electronic technology, including items like computers, cell phones, laptops and blackberries. Even if charges are ultimately dropped, they are unlikely to get the items back.

Penalties

The penalties for violating online pornography laws in Utah can be harsh and include fines and jail time. If the offense involves a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, the penalties are even more severe. For a federal offense, individuals convicted of viewing child pornography can expect to face a five-year prison sentence. If caught distributing-a 15-year-sentence.

Additionally, those convicted also face a myriad of indirect consequences that can and will follow them for life. If you are being investigated for pornography possession, contacting a Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer is recommended.

Source: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16680-porn-in-the-usa-conservatives-are-biggest-consumers.html