Benton Child Pornography Lawyer

Trusted Child Pornography Attorney in Benton, LA

Benton Child Pornography Defense Often Starts With the Evidence on Your Devices

A child pornography conviction can end a career, split a family, and put your name on a public registry. You need to know what the case against you rests on, who has seen the evidence, what happens next, and how to protect your rights.

Eric G. Johnson has practiced law in Louisiana since 1993 and handles cases in both state and federal court. The John D. & Eric G. Johnson Law Firm is based in Minden and defends Benton clients facing child pornography charges. We examine the digital evidence file by file. Our goal is to check the key images, accounts, and timestamps in your case before you make major decisions.

Reach out to us and tell us what is happening. We will tell you what to do first and what to leave alone.

What a Child Pornography Conviction Can Mean for You Under Louisiana Law

Louisiana’s statute calls this crime child sexual abuse materials, and it covers images of anyone under 17 (La. R.S. 14:81.1). Older cases call the same crime pornography involving juveniles. A first conviction for possession carries five to 20 years at hard labor, without parole, probation, or a suspended sentence. The fine can reach $50,000. A second conviction raises the prison range to 10 to 40 years.

Prison and fines are only part of what a conviction can cost you. A conviction also means sex offender registration lasting at least 25 years and potentially for life. That registry is public. Employers, landlords, and schools can find a listing with a simple name search. Jobs and housing can be at risk from the day of an arrest, long before a verdict.

If the images crossed the internet, federal prosecutors can bring their own charges (18 U.S.C. § 2252A), and the case can land in state court or federal court. In either court, the outcome depends on what prosecutors can prove about who put the files there and who knew about them.

Child Pornography Cases We Defend for Benton Clients

We defend the full range of child pornography accusations, including:

• Possession: Images or videos found on a phone, computer, or cloud account.
• Sharing or distribution: Claims that files were sent, posted, or shared through apps and file-sharing programs. Louisiana law says having three or more images plus file-sharing software is, at first glance, enough to suggest intent to distribute. That does not end the case, and the defense can challenge it.
• Production: Claims that someone made, or asked for, images of a child.
• Shared devices and networks: Cases where several people used the same computer, phone, or Wi-Fi.
• Federal charges: Cases that began with an internet investigation and moved to federal court, including other federal computer crimes.
• Related online charges: Online solicitation of a minor and similar internet accusations that can come with these cases.

Where a Benton Child Pornography Case Is Heard

State felony cases from Benton go to the 26th Judicial District Court at the Bossier Parish Courthouse, 204 Burt Boulevard.

Federal charges go to the Shreveport Division of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Eric G. Johnson has tried cases in this district and handles federal cases in the Western District.

The same lawyer can stay with you if a case moves from one court to the other.

What We Check First When a Case Rests on Phones, Laptops, and Cloud Accounts

Digital evidence looks simple on paper and rarely is. We start with who used the device, when each file was created or opened, and how it got there. A file in a hidden folder is not the same as a file someone saved on purpose. We also look for malware, automatic downloads, and other users on the same account.

Then we look at how investigators got the evidence. If investigators searched a phone or computer without a valid warrant, we may be able to ask the court to throw out what they found. Police can search without a warrant in some cases, such as when a person agrees to the search, so we look closely at how each search happened. Each check may give us something to bring to the prosecutor, or to a judge or jury at trial.

Benton Child Pornography Questions We Answer First

Do I need a lawyer if investigators have already taken my phone or computer?

Yes. Call us before you answer questions, and do not delete anything. Deleting files can look like hiding evidence and may lead to added charges.

Can the State prove the files on my device belong to me?

Louisiana law requires intentional possession, so the State has to connect the material to you. Shared computers, shared Wi-Fi, malware, and automatic downloads can all raise doubt.

Can my lawyer get a copy of the images?

Usually not. Courts generally do not let the defense keep copies of this material. The district attorney must make it reasonably available, so a defense lwayer reviews it under those limits.

What if I am under investigation but have not been charged?

Call us now. We may be able to speak with investigators for you and advise you about what to do next. The first steps in a case often shape everything that follows.

Can I get probation if I am convicted of possession?

Not under the possession penalty in Louisiana law. That sentence comes without probation, parole, or a suspended sentence. That is why we focus first on the evidence and on what the State can prove.

How long does a case like this take?

It depends on the court and the amount of digital evidence. Reviewing phones and cloud accounts takes time, and we give you a realistic timeline after our first review.

Fighting for You When You Need It the Most

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Benton Child Pornography Charges: Contact Us Before You Answer Another Question

Investigators often start building a case before an arrest, so the earliest days matter. Reach out for an initial consultation and ask for a plan that covers your devices, your statements, and your next court date.