Recent Posts in Internet Sex Crimes Category

Last month, photos appear on the internet that showed actress Emma Watson nude.  The photos were in fact doctored and now the man who created the photos has been charged with child pornography.  The charges were brought against the man, 39 year old John Cavanaugh, because he superimposed an image of the Watson's head on top of an underage girl.

Cavanaugh has pled guilty to 19 counts of illegally creating an indecent image of a child.  Police say that the photos were found on Cavanaugh's computer after an eviction attempt.  The judge presiding over Cavanaugh's case said, "Miss Watson will be very distressed to know what you have been doing."

Watson is most infamously known for her role as Hermoine Granger in the hit Harry Potter series.  She is 20 years of age.

If you have been charged with a sex crime such as child pornography, now is the time to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney at Okabe & Haushalter.  Contact our firm now!

In the city of Sacramento, proposed legislation that would have banned sexual offenders from using social networking sites, like Facebook, has died in an Assembly committee.

This Friday, it is reported that the Assembly Appropriations Committee held two Democratic bills on the issue due to cost concerns.  In order to be considered by the entire assembly, the legislation needed the committee's approval. 

Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani told news sources that if it had passed, the legislation would have prohibited sex offenders from using the internet to communicate with minors via social networking sites.  The measure would have also cut down on sexual offenders accessing pornography, but would have cost $20 million a year to implement in California.

Have you been charged with a sex crime in Los Angeles?  If so, your best option is to consult with a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who has handled numerous other sex crime cases, like the lawyers at Okabe & Haushalter. Contact our law office today to get the legal advice and representation you need to fight your sex crime charges!

An Anaheim man is in police custody after luring a minor into a hotel and raping her.

The suspect, 33-year-old Matthew Martinez Casteneda, allegedly used the social networking site MySpace to convince the 12-year-old girl to meet him at the South Coast Plaza mall in Costa Mesa.

According to Anaheim police, Casteneda took the girl to Zaby’s Motor Lodge where he raped her. After they had sex, Casteneda left the victim at the hotel stranded without her bus pass. Police say she was able to flag down a civilian police traffic controller for help.

The victim didn’t reveal what happened right away. What had occurred in the hotel room was only revealed after police connected the girl to a missing persons report.

The charges against a Catholic priest suspected of operating an Internet child pornography ring have been dropped due to lack of evidence.

The Rev. Rafael Muñiz Lopez of St. Peter Apostle Church in Xalapa, Mexico was released from a Mexico City jail and all charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence that the priest engaged in organized crime.

Muñiz, along with his brother and five other suspects, were arrested last April after an investigation turned up an email containing several images of sex acts involving minors. In the email was a link to a web page that, according to the prosecution, contained “scenes of explicit sex between adults and girls and boys from 0 to 10 years old.”

The police were able to track the link to Luis Alejandro Vergara. After searching his Mexico City home, investigators found large quantities of child pornography. Information on his computer led to the arrest of the six other suspects, including Rev. Muñiz.

The Rev. Muñiz and his brother are the only two suspects to have been released. Vergara confessed to rape and sexual assault, and the other four men remain in police custody.

Accused of Child Pornography in Los Angeles or South Bay?

If you have been accused or arrested for child pornography it is absolutely crucial that you speak with an attorney at Okabe & Haushalter right away. As you can imagine child pornography charges can lead to numerous penalties, including large fines, restitution to the victims, probation, incarceration in state prison, and lifetime registration as a sex offender once you’re released from prison. In addition, with a child pornography conviction also comes a stigma that can be incredibly damaging to your reputation and future. When faced with these charges, nothing is more important than hiring a skilled Los Angeles child pornography defense attorney. At Okabe & Haushalter, we have considerable experience in this area of criminal law, and would be happy to meet with you to discuss your charges and determine what defense strategies can be used to help you achieve the best possible case result.

To learn more, please contact Okabe & Haushalter today at (310) 543-7708!