Online Sex Crimes Charges in Collin County: What Happens Next

Online Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer in Collin County: What Happens Next

An online sex crimes defense lawyer helps people facing Texas charges tied to digital messages. A Collin County case often begins with a review of digital activity. The person involved may not know about it right away. Texas treats several kinds of online contact with a minor as felonies. This page explains how these cases typically start, what the main Texas charges cover, and what to do before any contact with investigators. It covers Texas state law only. For broader background, see our criminal defense guides.

How Online Sex Crime Cases Usually Begin

Many online sex crime investigations start with digital evidence, not a street encounter. Investigators may review messages, account records, or a tip from someone who saw something concerning. In some cases, a person doesn’t learn about the investigation until someone makes contact or a notice arrives.

Those first days can feel frightening. It’s tempting to reply quickly to smooth things over. That reply can become part of the record.

An investigation doesn’t mean charges will be filed. Prosecutors decide whether to file and when. While that question is open, the most useful step is to stop discussing the matter with anyone. Write down what you remember, for your lawyer only. A single message can look very different when it’s read with the messages before and after it.

Online Solicitation of a Minor Under Texas Law

Texas makes it a felony to knowingly solicit a minor online to meet for sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse. Under Texas Penal Code § 33.021, that solicitation is a second-degree felony.

The same statute covers sexually explicit communication with a minor. That communication must be made with intent to commit a listed offense. That offense is a third-degree felony. It rises to a second-degree felony when the minor is younger than 14.

The law treats someone as a minor if they are younger than 17. It also covers someone the accused believes is younger than 17. That belief is a central fact in these cases. The details of every conversation matter.

It is not a defense that the meeting never happened. For the solicitation-to-meet offense, the statute names two defenses. The accused was married to the minor. Or the accused was no more than three years older, and the minor consented.

Punishment also moves up one category if the offense happened during school hours. The accused must have known or should have known the minor was enrolled in school.

No lawyer can ensure a particular result.

How Texas Grades Related Sex Offense Charges

Texas grades each offense by seriousness. One investigation can produce more than one charge.

Possessing visual material that shows a child in sexual conduct is covered by Texas Penal Code § 43.26. The statute also reaches anyone who accesses such material with intent to view it. Online viewing can matter. It is a third-degree felony when the material contains fewer than 10 depictions of a child. It is a second-degree felony when it contains 10 or more but fewer than 50.

Aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree felony under Texas Penal Code § 22.021. Under Penal Code § 22.021(f), the minimum prison term for aggravated sexual assault increases to 25 years if the victim is younger than six, or if the victim is younger than 14 and the offense is committed in a manner described in Subsection (a)(2)(A).

Continuous sexual abuse of a young child is covered by Texas Penal Code § 21.02. It requires two or more qualifying acts over a period of 30 days or more. The victim must be younger than 14 or a disabled individual. It is a first-degree felony. It is punishable by life or by a term of not less than 25 and not more than 99 years.

These are Texas state grades, not federal penalties. They don’t predict how any case will end. A charge is an accusation.

Bond Conditions and Why Violations Matter

Breaking a bond condition can lead to a new charge in certain Texas cases.

Under Texas Penal Code § 25.07, the rule applies in family violence, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, and trafficking cases. The condition must relate to the safety of a victim or the community. These include threatening or harassing contact with a protected person and going to places named in the order. It also covers tracking a protected person’s property or vehicle without that person’s effective consent.

One act can fall under another section of the Penal Code. The state may pursue either charge or both.

Two points surprise many people. First, reconciling with the other person doesn’t cancel the order. The statute says reconciliatory actions don’t affect the order’s validity. Second, the statute excludes communication made through the person’s attorney. That’s one reason to route every contact through counsel.

If you have bond conditions, follow every term exactly. Bring every question about a condition to your lawyer before you act on it.

Federal Charges Fall Outside This Page

This page explains Texas state law. Federal charges follow different rules.

Some online sex crime investigations lead to federal cases. This page does not explain federal complaints, indictments, arrest warrants, summonses, surrender, or federal bond hearings. It doesn’t state federal penalties. The Texas statutes cited above set Texas penalties only.

Barbieri Law Firm’s practice covers Texas state charges. If federal charges are involved, we will tell you during a consultation whether the matter is one we handle. If it isn’t, we would likely refer the matter to another firm.

Bring any paperwork you have to that conversation. Don’t assume a federal notice works like a Texas one. The court, the timing, and the steps can differ. Until someone reviews the documents, treat any federal notice as serious. Keep it in one place.

Steps to Take Before Any Contact With Investigators

Before you talk with investigators, keep your devices and accounts as they are. Route all contact through a lawyer.

• Don’t delete, wipe, reset, or replace devices or accounts. Changing them can make the record harder to explain. It can also create a new problem.
• Don’t post about the accusation, the other person, or the investigation on social media. Public comments can be read out of context.
• Don’t answer questions from officers or agents without a lawyer. Say you want to speak with a lawyer first.
• Keep a list of dates, notices received, and the names of anyone who made contact. Give it to your lawyer, not to others.
• Family members can help most by collecting notices and dates. They can also avoid contacting the other person or investigators on the accused’s behalf.

Each step protects your options while the facts are still being sorted out.

How Digital Records Shape an Online Case

Digital records often decide what the state can prove. That’s why they get reviewed first.

A lawyer looks at the full conversation, not one screenshot. Timestamps, account names, and who had access to a device can change what a message means. Who was typing, and when, can matter as much as the words.

Under the statute, the accused’s belief about age is part of the picture. So is whether a meeting was proposed, and what was actually said. Each element of the charge is compared against the messages, line by line.

Early review shows what the record actually contains. Ask about every source, including older devices and backups. That way, nothing surprises you later. You can then make decisions with the facts in front of you.

Talk With a Lawyer About Your Situation

If you’re worried about messages you sent or received online, a consultation can help. It shows what the record contains and what to ask next. You can also learn more about criminal defense services at Barbieri Law Firm.

Maybe you received a notice. Maybe you heard that someone reported your messages. Maybe you learned a bond condition may apply to you. Maybe a family member is trying to understand what comes next.

In a consultation, Heather Jean Barbieri reviews the paperwork, the messages, and any bond terms. She then explains the options that fit your facts. You can read more about her background here. No lawyer can ensure a particular result.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online solicitation of a minor a felony in Texas? Yes, when the facts meet the statute’s elements.

Does this page cover federal charges? No. It covers Texas state law only. Federal charges follow different rules.

Can breaking a bond condition lead to a new charge? In certain Texas cases, yes, under Texas Penal Code § 25.07. In certain Texas cases, yes: contact with a protected person that violates a bond condition or protective order can be a separate offense under Penal Code § 25.07, so it is important to go over each condition with a defense lawyer before any contact.

If messages you sent online are now under investigation, you don’t have to plan the next step alone. Call (972) 424-1902 or send us your case details.

Attorney responsible for this site: Heather Jean Barbieri, Barbieri Law Firm, Frisco, Texas.