Pennsylvania law takes crimes involving human sex trafficking very seriously. The Commonwealth's laws also reflect the fact that engaging in human sex trafficking may involve the use of the internet in the digital age.
Have you been charged with any internet-related human sex trafficking crime in Pennsylvania? If convicted, you may face fines, imprisonment, and numerous other penalties and consequences that could affect your life for years to come.
A proper defense is essential in your circumstances. At the LLF Law Firm, our Criminal Defense Team is available to serve your needs at this critical time. Learn more about what our PA internet human sex trafficking defense lawyers can do for you by calling us today at 888-535-3686 or submitting your information via our online contact form.
Pennsylvania's Human Trafficking Law
Pennsylvania law states that “human trafficking” involves violating the Commonwealth's law prohibiting trafficking in individuals. Someone may engage in this crime if they merely violate the trafficking in individuals law or if they also do so in conjunction with a violation of Pennsylvania's involuntary servitude law.
The law indicates trafficking in individuals may involve various forms of taking advantage of someone, including:
- Recruiting
- Enticing
- Soliciting
- Patronizing
- Advertising
- Harboring
- Transporting
- Providing
- Obtaining
- Maintaining
In other words, someone may be guilty of trafficking in individuals if they provide or advertise a sex worker who's been the victim of human trafficking. However, depending on the circumstances, someone who merely patronizes the sex worker may also be guilty of human trafficking.
The statute elaborates on this:
- If someone engages in any of the above with a victim when they either know said individual will likely be subject to sexual servitude or they simply recklessly disregard the strong possibility that they'll be subject to sexual servitude, they may be guilty of a felony of the first degree.
- If someone knowingly benefits financially or receives anything of value for any act they perform that facilitates the types of acts described in the previous point, they may be guilty of a felony of the first degree.
- If anyone engages in the trafficking of individuals when they know or recklessly disregard the fact that a victim is likely to be subject to labor servitude, they may be guilty of a felony of the second degree.
- Someone may commit a felony of the second degree if they knowingly benefit financially or receive anything of value for any act that facilitates the types of acts described in the previous point.
In an internet sex crimes case involving human trafficking, the offense is likely to qualify as a felony of the first degree. Members of our Criminal Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm can help you better understand the specific nature of the charges you're facing.
Pennsylvania's Involuntary Servitude Law
Again, although a violation of PA's trafficking in individuals law is sufficient to say someone has engaged in human trafficking in the Commonwealth, the law also states that trafficking in individuals may occur in conjunction with a violation of the Commonwealth's involuntary servitude statute.
According to the law, someone may subject a victim to involuntary servitude via any of the following means:
- Causing any person (not necessarily the human trafficking victim) serious harm or threatening to cause any person serious harm
- Physically restraining another person or threatening to do so
- Kidnapping or attempting to kidnap someone
- Abusing the legal process or threatening to do so
- Coercing an individual (or attempting to) by taking or retaining their real or personal property
- Violating Pennsylvania's law prohibiting unlawful conduct regarding documents (such as destroying or concealing someone's passport to exercise control over their travel)
- Extortion
- Fraud
- Engaging in any act that qualifies as criminal coercion under Pennsylvania law
- Duress, by using or threatening to use unlawful force against someone (who, again, doesn't necessarily have to be the victim of human trafficking)
- Debt coercion
- Controlling or facilitating someone's access to a controlled substance (such as only providing a victim with an addictive substance if they comply with orders or other such attempts to manage their behavior)
- Engaging in “any scheme, plan or pattern” meant to give the victim the impression that they or another person will experience serious physical harm and/or restraint if they don't comply with demands.
Someone may commit a felony of the second degree if they use any of the above means to subject someone to labor or sexual servitude. As such, they may be charged with more than one crime in a human sex trafficking case. Our Criminal Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm is prepared to handle such complexities.
Laws that May Apply to a Human Sex Trafficking Case in Pennsylvania
Various other laws may apply to a case involving allegations of human sex trafficking. This is particularly true in the digital age, when using the internet to engage in human sex trafficking may involve breaking related laws.
Examples of statutes that could also apply to your case include Pennsylvania's laws prohibiting:
- Invasion of privacy
- Unlawful contact with a minor
- Endangering the welfare of children
- Cyber harassment
- Sexual abuse of children (specifically relating to child exploitation/pornography)
- Sextortion
Our LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team thoroughly understands the various laws that might play a role in your case. We'll review the details and answer any questions you may have about the charges you face.
The Role of the Internet in Human Sex Trafficking
There are various ways someone may use the internet for human sex trafficking. Experts on the subject offer the following primary examples:
- Committing any crime involving child pornography, as a child appearing in pornographic materials, is likely a sex trafficking victim
- Using the internet to sexually solicit minors, which could overlap with trafficking
- Engaging in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking with other individuals via the internet
If you've been charged with a human sex trafficking crime involving the internet, you need a defense from attorneys who are qualified to handle human sex trafficking cases in the digital age. That's exactly what you'll find at our LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team.
Internet Human Sex Trafficking: Potential Penalties
Many factors can influence the penalties someone may face if they're convicted of human sex trafficking in Pennsylvania. Remember, any violation of the Commonwealth's trafficking in individuals law qualifies as a felony of the first degree if the violation involves sexual servitude of any kind.
Potential penalties for a felony of the first degree in Pennsylvania include:
- A fine of up to $25,000
- Imprisonment of up to 20 years
It's also vital to keep in mind that, as established, someone facing charges for trafficking in individuals violation may also face charges for additional violations. This could add to the penalties they may already face.
Act fast if you've been charged with any crime related to internet human sex trafficking in Pennsylvania. The sooner our Criminal Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm can begin working on your case, the better.
Potential Defense Strategies in an Internet Sex Crimes Human Trafficking Case in PA
Our team will review your case's unique details to establish and implement a defense strategy tailored to your specific needs. However, the following examples can help you understand the general ways we might approach a case like yours:
- Proving an alibi: It's critical to keep in mind that the burden of proof is on the prosecution. Your defense attorney may not have to “prove” anything to help you avoid criminal penalties. However, if you have a valid alibi, we can gather and present the necessary evidence proving you couldn't have committed the offense of which you're accused.
- An act wasn't voluntary: Pennsylvania law indicates that someone may not be charged with the crimes discussed here if the act or omission that constitutes an offense wasn't voluntary. In other words, your lawyers may be able to argue that you committed an act that might otherwise qualify as human sex trafficking while you were also a victim of trafficking yourself. If someone else illegally forced you to engage in human sex trafficking activities, the law may not regard you as culpable.
- Mistaken identity: It's possible that someone who accused you of human sex trafficking was mistaken when identifying you. This is another instance in which we may investigate to gather evidence showing your innocence, or we may simply argue the prosecution hasn't provided enough evidence to justify a conviction.
Once more, those are just examples. The defense strategy we choose for you will be one that accounts for your case's nuances.
Contact the LLF Law Firm for Help With a Pennsylvania Human Sex Trafficking Case Involving the Internet
Fines and imprisonment aren't the only potential consequences of a human sex trafficking conviction. Depending on the circumstances, a conviction might also require registering as a sex offender. If an alleged victim files a civil suit against you, the fact that you were convicted could serve as strong evidence in their case.
What's most important right now is protecting yourself legally. At the LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team, we're prepared to offer defense services that can play a major role in your case's outcome. Get started today by contacting us through our online form or calling our offices at 888-535-3686.
