{"id":653,"date":"2026-10-15T02:33:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T02:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/collin-county-sex-solicitation-lawyer\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T05:05:11","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T05:05:11","slug":"collin-county-sex-solicitation-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/collin-county-sex-solicitation-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"Collin County Sex Solicitation Lawyer | Barbieri Law Firm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Collin County Sex Solicitation Lawyer | Barbieri Law Firm<\/h1>
Schedule a free consultation<\/a><\/div>
Schedule a free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

By Heather Barbieri \u00b7 Published October 14, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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A Collin County sex solicitation lawyer starts with one question: what exact conduct does the State say you committed? Online cases in Texas may involve more than one statute, so the specific charge and its elements should be reviewed case by case. This page explains what the charge means, what is at stake, and how a defense is built from the evidence.<\/p>\n

What Does a Sex Solicitation Charge Mean in Texas?<\/h2>\n

Online solicitation of a minor, under Penal Code \u00a7 33.021, is charged when the State says you tried to get a minor to engage in sexual conduct through online messages. The statute sets out what the State must prove.<\/p>\n

For messaging offenses under Texas Penal Code \u00a7 33.021(b)<\/a>, the State must show that you were 17 or older, that you acted intentionally, and that you communicated sexually or sent sexual material to a minor over the Internet, by email, by text, or through another electronic messaging system. The State must also prove that the person acted with intent to commit an offense listed in article 62.001(5)(A), (B), or (K) of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. For meeting offenses, the State must show you knowingly solicited a minor, over the Internet, by email, text message or another electronic message service or system, or through a commercial online service, to meet another person, including you, with intent that sexual contact, intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse occur between the minor and the actor or another person.<\/p>\n

Intent and knowledge are central. The State has to prove what you intended and what you knew, not just what was sent.<\/p>\n

An arrest is not a conviction. The formal charge can also differ from what you heard at the scene, so read the paperwork closely.<\/p>\n

Which Solicitation Charges Does This Defense Cover?<\/h2>\n

This page covers online solicitation of a minor and related child-focused sex charges. These are the sex crimes matters this firm handles.<\/p>\n

Under Penal Code \u00a7 33.021<\/a>, a “minor” includes a person the actor believes is younger than 17. That matters in undercover cases, where the person on the other end may be an adult or an officer.<\/p>\n

The meeting does not have to happen. Under \u00a7 33.021(d), it is not a defense to the meeting offense that the meeting did not occur.<\/p>\n

Entrapment is a narrow defense. Under Penal Code \u00a7 8.06<\/a>, it applies when a law enforcement agent induces the conduct using persuasion or other means likely to cause the offense. Giving someone an opportunity to commit an offense is not entrapment.<\/p>\n

Some conduct can be charged under more than one law. Under \u00a7 33.021(g), the State may prosecute under this section, another law, or both.<\/p>\n

The Texas Attorney General’s cyber safety initiative<\/a> provides Texas-specific information about online solicitation of minors.<\/p>\n

What Penalties and Collateral Consequences Can Apply?<\/h2>\n

The meeting offense under subsection (c) is a second-degree felony. A messaging offense under subsection (b) is a third-degree felony, unless the minor is younger than 14 or the actor believes the minor is. In that case it is a second-degree felony under \u00a7 33.021(f).<\/p>\n