Former New York congressman Anthony Weiner is reportedly under consideration for being slapped with child pornography charges, according to the Wall Street Journal. The magazine reported that federal prosecutors are deciding whether or not to bring the charges against him as they investigate his electronic devices following the revelation that he sent explicit texts to a 15-year-old.
WSJ stated:
“In recent weeks, according to some of the people familiar with the matter, attorneys for Mr. Weiner have had discussions with federal prosecutors in Manhattan in hopes of dissuading them from bringing charges, or at least from bringing the most serious one: production of child pornography, which carries a 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentence upon conviction.
These types of discussions can indicate both sides are trying to reach an agreement in which the defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a less-severe charge.
Mr. Weiner could face the production charge, some of the people familiar with the case say, because he allegedly solicited explicit images from the teenager. Prosecutors also are weighing other charges, including receipt of child pornography, for which conviction carries a five-year mandatory minimum, and possession of child pornography, which has no mandatory minimum.”
Of course, since it’s under consideration, it may not actually happen, but it’s pretty significant that they are investigating this to begin with. What Weiner did was wrong–and the girl was underage. By definition legally, child pornography is “any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor,” and pictures may meet the broad requirements if they are “sufficiently sexually suggestive.”
So, technically, since Weiner obtained sexually explicit images of a teenage girl through texting, that could constitute as possessing child pornography. The WSJ also noted that prosecutors take into account whether the offender sought out images of a minor or if the offender knew the person in the image was underage.
While I don’t wish bad on anyone, I can’t exactly say Weiner doesn’t deserve it.
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