Brandon Online Solicitation Attorney
A charge for online solicitation of a minor is not a charge that softens with time or resolves quietly on its own. Florida prosecutors treat these cases as high priority, and the consequences that follow a conviction reach far beyond a prison sentence. Omar Abdelghany of OA Law Firm has defended clients in Hillsborough County and the surrounding area against serious criminal charges, including online solicitation offenses prosecuted in state court. When you are looking at this kind of accusation, the attorney you hire and the decisions made in the first days after an arrest will shape everything that comes after. Our firm handles only criminal defense, which means this is exactly the kind of case we are built for.
What Florida Law Actually Makes It a Crime
Florida Statute 847.0135 is the primary law governing online solicitation of a minor. It criminalizes using the internet, a computer, or any electronic device to solicit, lure, or entice a person believed to be a minor to engage in sexual conduct. The critical word in that sentence is “believed.” A person does not have to make actual contact with a real child to be charged. Florida law permits law enforcement to conduct sting operations in which officers pose as minors online, and a charge can be filed based entirely on communications with an undercover detective.
The statute creates multiple tiers of liability. Using an online platform to solicit a minor is a third-degree felony on its own. If the defendant took steps to travel to meet the person they believed to be a minor, the charge escalates to a second-degree felony. These are not technical distinctions. A second-degree felony carries up to fifteen years in prison, and Florida courts treat travel-to-meet cases with particular severity because prosecutors argue that the physical movement shows criminal intent that goes beyond mere words.
Separate from 847.0135, related conduct can generate additional charges under Florida’s lewd or lascivious statutes, computer pornography provisions, or federal law if the communications crossed state lines or involved any federal infrastructure. It is entirely possible for a single factual event to produce multiple charges at both the state and federal level, which is one reason the case strategy has to be thought through from the start, not assembled after charges have already compounded.
The Mechanics of Sting Operations and Why Defense Matters Here
The vast majority of online solicitation prosecutions in Florida originate from law enforcement sting operations rather than from complaints made by actual minors or their families. Detectives from agencies including the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Tampa Police Department routinely post on social media platforms, messaging applications, and online forums while posing as teenagers. These operations are legal, and courts have consistently allowed the evidence gathered in them to be used at trial.
That does not mean sting evidence is unassailable. The defense of entrapment is available under Florida law, though it requires meeting a specific legal standard. A defendant must show that law enforcement induced the offense and that the defendant was not predisposed to commit it. Courts draw the line between presenting an opportunity, which is permissible, and implanting the criminal idea in a person who would not otherwise have acted. Whether that line was crossed in a given case depends entirely on the specific communications, the sequence of events, and who initiated each stage of the interaction.
Beyond entrapment, there are factual and legal challenges that may apply depending on how the investigation was conducted. If law enforcement accessed private communications without proper legal authority, suppression of that evidence may be warranted. If the device used was shared, the state’s assumption about who was behind the keyboard becomes a contested factual question. The credibility of the detective’s account, the accuracy of the timestamps on messages, and whether the defendant actually understood he was communicating with someone claiming to be a minor are all issues that a thorough defense investigation will examine. Omar personally reviews the evidence in every case he handles, which means these details receive direct attorney attention, not a review by a paralegal or associate.
Registration, Employment, and Everything a Conviction Costs
People accused of online solicitation sometimes focus on the prison exposure and underestimate what a conviction means beyond the sentence itself. Florida requires sex offender registration for a conviction under 847.0135, and registration is not a short-term obligation. Depending on the tier of the offense, registration can be required for life, with quarterly reporting obligations, strict residency restrictions, and internet use reporting requirements.
In the Brandon area and across Hillsborough County, registered sex offenders face significant restrictions on where they can live, which affects proximity to schools, parks, and daycare facilities. These restrictions are not abstract. They determine whether a person can return to a home they own, live with family, or reside in entire sections of a community.
The professional consequences compound the legal ones. Florida occupational licensing boards for healthcare, education, law, and many other regulated professions treat a sex offense conviction as grounds for denial or revocation. Federal law bars people convicted of certain sex offenses from working with children or in federally funded programs. Employers who conduct background checks will see the conviction and the registration status. For many people, the career they have spent years building does not survive a conviction under this statute, which is part of why the defense of these charges has to be treated as fighting for a person’s entire future, not just the immediate sentence.
Questions That Come Up Before and After an Arrest
Can I be charged if I never actually met anyone in person?
Yes. Florida law does not require an actual meeting or any in-person contact. The offense is complete when a qualifying electronic communication is made to someone believed to be a minor, regardless of whether a physical meeting occurred. The charge becomes more serious if travel to meet took place, but the base offense exists from the communications alone.
Does it matter if the person I was communicating with was actually an adult detective?
Under Florida law, it does not matter. The statute specifically addresses communications with someone “believed” to be a minor. If a detective represented themselves as a teenager and the defendant acted on that belief, the charge stands. This is a settled area of Florida law, and arguing that the other person was actually an adult has not been a successful defense in these cases.
What if I was set up or pushed into the conversation by the detective?
This goes to the entrapment defense discussed above. Whether entrapment applies depends on the specific facts of what happened, who sent what, and in what order. It is not a blanket defense, but it is a legitimate one in appropriate cases. The full record of the communications matters enormously for this analysis.
What happens to my devices after an arrest?
Law enforcement will typically seize computers, phones, and other electronic devices as evidence. A forensic examination will be conducted by the state. If your defense team identifies potential issues with how that forensic examination was performed, or if chain of custody questions arise, those can become significant issues in the case.
If I am already registered as a sex offender from a prior matter, how does a new charge affect me?
A subsequent charge while on sex offender registration can trigger enhanced penalties and may have implications for any supervised release conditions you are currently under. This is a situation where contacting an attorney before speaking to law enforcement becomes even more critical.
Will this charge affect my immigration status?
It very likely will. Sex offenses are among the most serious categories of conviction for immigration purposes. A non-citizen convicted of an aggravated felony, which this type of offense can be classified as under federal immigration law, faces mandatory detention and removal. Anyone who is not a U.S. citizen and is facing this charge should ensure their criminal defense attorney understands the immigration stakes.
How does a case like this usually resolve?
There is no single answer because outcomes depend on the specific facts, the strength of the state’s evidence, the particular judge and prosecutor involved, and the quality of the defense that has been built. Some cases go to trial. Others resolve through negotiation. What a defendant should understand is that plea agreements in these cases almost always include registration requirements, so the goal of any negotiation has to account for the full picture, not just the immediate term of incarceration.
Facing a Brandon Online Solicitation Charge? Here Is What to Do Right Now
The window between an arrest and the early procedural stages of a case is when the most consequential decisions get made. Statements made to police without counsel, evidence that is not immediately challenged, and missed opportunities to investigate the state’s case independently all narrow the options available later. Omar Abdelghany of OA Law Firm is reachable around the clock and handles every client’s case personally from the first conversation through resolution. If you or someone you know is dealing with a Brandon online solicitation charge, contact OA Law Firm today to schedule a consultation.
