{"id":280,"date":"2026-10-12T23:16:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T23:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/35-229-99-24.nip.io\/?page_id=280"},"modified":"2026-10-12T23:16:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T23:16:12","slug":"solicitation-of-a-minor","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/solicitation-of-a-minor\/","title":{"rendered":"Solicitation of a Minor Defense Lawyer, Frisco, Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sex Crimes Defense | Frisco, Texas<\/p>

Accused of Soliciting a Minor in Texas? Start With a Defense Lawyer Who Listens<\/h1>

Barbieri Law Firm defends Texas clients accused of online sex crimes and child sex crimes across Collin County and Dallas-Fort Worth. We will review the facts with you and explain your options in plain language.<\/p>

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By Heather Barbieri \u00b7 Published October 10, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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Solicitation of a minor in Texas is a felony when an adult, with a specific intent, communicates online in a sexually explicit way with someone they believe is under 17. The core rule is in Penal Code \u00a7 33.021<\/a>. A real child is not always required, and an in-person meeting is not required. If you’re reading this because someone you care about was accused, you need plain answers first. Read on for general information about how accusations like these can arise and what a defense lawyer may look at when reviewing one.<\/p>\n

What Texas Law Means by Solicitation of a Minor<\/h2>\n

Texas treats online solicitation of a minor as a statutory offense under Penal Code \u00a7 33.021<\/a>. The statute applies to a person who is 17 or older. It covers messages sent by email, text, other electronic message systems, or a commercial online service.<\/p>\n

The communication offense covers intentionally communicating in a sexually explicit manner with a minor, or sending sexually explicit material to a minor. The state must also show intent to commit a listed sex offense. The meeting offense covers knowingly soliciting a minor to meet another person, with intent that the minor engage in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse.<\/p>\n

The statute defines a minor as someone younger than 17, or someone the defendant believes is younger than 17. It is a separate statute, and this page does not describe its elements. The exact charge depends on the facts the state alleges.<\/p>\n\n

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How These Cases Commonly Arise<\/h2>\n

These cases often begin with a message on a chat app, social platform, dating app, or gaming site. The written record of those messages is usually the center of the state’s case.<\/p>\n

Some investigations start with an online profile set up to look like a teenager. Police or volunteers may run these profiles. Other cases start with a report from a parent, a platform, or a school.<\/p>\n

Many people first learn of the allegation from a knock at the door or a call from police. That moment is stressful. Many later problems start there, so it helps to know what comes next. The timing of messages, who started the conversation, and what was actually said are the first things a lawyer reviews.<\/p>\n

Can the Charge Apply When the Minor Is Not Real?<\/h2>\n

Yes, the statute reaches a person the defendant believes is a minor. A real child is not the only way the statute can apply.<\/p>\n

The definition of minor includes an individual the actor believes to be younger than 17. That belief language is why undercover operations sit at the center of many of these cases. The defendant’s belief about age becomes a key question.<\/p>\n

A lawyer looks closely at what the messages say about age. The labels investigators use are not the same as the words that were actually sent.<\/p>\n

Texas also recognizes entrapment. Under Penal Code \u00a7 8.06<\/a>, it is a defense when a law enforcement agent induces the conduct using persuasion or other means likely to cause someone to commit the offense. The statute also says that merely giving a person an opportunity to commit an offense is not entrapment. Whether that defense fits depends on how the contact started and how it went.<\/p>\n

Is a Meeting or Physical Contact Required?<\/h2>\n

No. The statute says it is not a defense to the meeting offense that the meeting did not occur. The charge can be based on the communications themselves.<\/p>\n

Other laws can also reach the same conduct. Under Penal Code \u00a7 33.021<\/a>, the same conduct may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both. Travel or an actual meeting may change how the state presents the case, so those facts matter.<\/p>\n

Because the messages are the core evidence, a lawyer’s first questions are usually what was said, when, and by whom.<\/p>\n

Possible Defenses and Questions a Lawyer Reviews<\/h2>\n

A lawyer starts by checking how the contact began, who said what, and what the defendant believed about age. The answers shape which defenses may fit.<\/p>\n