Criminal DefenseTexas Criminal Defense
Online Solicitation of a Minor
Online Solicitation of a Minor
Texas Penal Code Section 33.021 – Online Solicitation of a Minor
(a) In this section:
| • | (1) “Minor” means: (A) an individual who represents himself or herself to be younger than 17 years of age; or (B) an individual whom the actor believes to be younger than 17 years of age. |
| • | (2) “Sexual contact,” “sexual intercourse,” and “deviate sexual intercourse” have the meanings assigned by Section 21.01. |
| • | (3) “Sexually explicit” means any communication, language, or material, including a photographic or video image that relates to or describes sexual conduct, as defined by Section 43.25. |
(b) A person who is 17 years of age or older commits an offense if, with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, the person, over the Internet, by electronic mail or text message or other electronic message service or system, or through a commercial online service, intentionally:
| • | (1) communicates in a sexually explicit manner with a minor; or |
| • | (2) distributes sexually explicit material to a minor. |
(c) A person commits an offense if the person, over the Internet, by electronic mail or text message or other electronic message service or system, or through a commercial online service, knowingly solicits a minor to meet another person, including the actor, with the intent that the minor will engage in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with the actor or another person.
(d) It is not a defense to prosecution under Subsection (c) that:
| • | (1) the meeting did not occur; |
| • | (2) the actor did not intend for the meeting to occur; or |
| • | (3) the actor was engaged in a fantasy at the time of commission of the offense. |
(e) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that at the time conduct described by Subsection (b) or (c) was committed:
| • | (1) the actor was married to the minor; or |
| • | (2) the actor was not more than three years older than the minor and the minor consented to the conduct. |
(f) An offense under Subsection (b) is a felony of the third degree, except that the offense is a felony of the second degree if the minor is younger than 14 years of age or is an individual whom the actor believes to be younger than 14 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense. An offense under Subsection (c) is a felony of the second degree.
(g) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under any other law, the actor may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both.
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