Those who are accused of child pornography in Tennessee can face an uphill battle, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Neighbors, employers, coworkers and the general public are quick to judge those who are accused of child pornography, even if a conviction never occurs.
A Tennessee man is currently facing child pornography charges in Putnam County. Police say he allegedly possessed over 100 images of child pornography. He is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and 16 counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, both felonies. The article mentions that he has been under investigation for some time by a special crime unit created to track online sexual predators. The accused was also fired from his job as a school bus driver.
Sex crimes are serious charges for Tennessee residents. The public almost always believes the accused is guilty, regardless as to whether a conviction ever occurs. Because of this quick-to-judge attitude towards people accused of sex crimes, the accused can have a hard time returning to his normal life. Loss of a job and subsequent income, loss of friendships, personal relationships and respect within the community is common. Also, if convicted of these charges, the defendant may be placed on the sex offender registry, which may forever create a barrier to leading a normal life.
For those accused of crimes such as child pornography, a strong defense is essential. Because these types of criminal convictions can be highly detrimental to defendants, it’s important to take them seriously.
Source: Herald-Citizen, “School bus driver arrested in child porn case,” Mary Jo Denton, July 12, 2013
