In the U. While some have passed legislation that prohibits this type of communication between minors, others like Michigan do not address this issue and let pre-existing child pornography laws handle it. Anyone encouraging a teenager to send or create this type of content is also committing a felony under Michigan law.
Perhaps the craziest thing is that the age of consent for sex is 16 in Michigan, but sexual photographs of anyone under 18 is considered child porn. So a 17 year-old boy can have consensual sex with his year-old girlfriend, but then they can both be subjected to harsh penalties when she sends him a nude photo.
State law considers child pornography which in Michigan is called child sexually abusive material or CSAM illegal. This includes soliciting, creating, sharing, or possessing this material. Those accused of producing explicit content that involves minors or persuading underage youth to create this content can face up to years in prison.
Michigan’s statutory rape exception – romeo and juliet law
This felony is one of the harshest punishments for sexting-related crimes. This also could affect a minor that takes a nude selfie of themselves and sends it to their underage friend or partner.
Teens rely on smartphones and computers to connect with their friends and loved ones. If a year old boyfriend were to send his minor girlfriend a request for a sexually explicit image, they could potentially face up to 20 years in prison for simply asking. While juvenile court judges have discretion when conducting sentencing, depending on the circumstances of the case, as young as 14 and in some circumstances, even younger could be accused of a felony.
This includes facing these charges in an adult court setting and potentially facing prison time, and registering on the Michigan sex offender registry. Teens ranging in age from 17 to 19 years old are always treated as adults in the state justice system.
This is set to change in October ofthanks to legislation that automatically changes the jurisdiction of year-old teenagers to juvenile court. Adults and minor children transferred to an adult court must register on the Michigan sex offender registry if convicted of child pornography charges.
State law does require juvenile offenders to register to also register for certain offenses listed under state statutes. Any conviction of this nature can result in serious prison or juvenile detention sentencing, costly fines, and closed doors for promising opportunities in the future.
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Our aggressive criminal defense attorneys understand how frequently teens make mistakes under these laws. What is viewed as harmless fun between minors can end in a lifetime of pain, embarrassment, and struggle to find success. Save my name,and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Sending Explicit Material on a Phone or Computer Teens rely on smartphones and computers to connect with their friends and loved ones. Michigan Sex Offender Registration Challenges Adults and minor children transferred to an adult court must register on the Michigan sex offender registry if convicted of child pornography charges.
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