When an individual in Washington or any other state in the United States is facing charges related to child porn, it is not uncommon for them to be treated like pedophiles. These types of allegations create a chaos in the community. This is especially true when child pornography accusations are made against a leader of the community, such as a police officer.
A former police officer in Lynden, Washington, has recently been arrested and accused of child pornography acts. He was reportedly trading images with a Texas teen. Further, detectives claim that the images were on the 57-year-old suspect’s city-owned mobile phone. He could be at risk of additional charges, but it won’t be certain if further charges will be filed until the investigation has concluded.
It is important for Washington individuals citizens and suspects to remember that allegations are not a confirmation of guilt. Child pornography charges are serious allegations, which means that the potential damages if convicted of the crime can be quite severe. This is true even for first-time offenders.
Fighting child pornography charges can be quite complex; however, every person accused is innocent until proven guilty. The prosecuting attorney must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime has been committed. Without this, charges may be dismissed. Whenever this is not obtainable, a strong and aggressive criminal defense strategy may be viable in seeking the best available outcome under the specific circumstances. Most importantly, individuals should ensure that they understand their legal rights and protect their constitutional rights.
Source: KOMO 4 News, “Former Lynden officer arrested on child porn accusations“, , April 25, 2014