Dallas Criminal Solicitation of a Minor Defense Attorneys

If you were arrested or charged with criminal solicitation of a minor, you should contact Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter today to learn about the defense strategy best for your case. We might be able to represent you and provide the legal services you need to get the charges reduced or dropped.

Criminal solicitation of a minor is a serious offense in Texas. You could face severe penalties if convicted, including imprisonment. A criminal conviction for a sex offense can negatively impact every part of your life. You could encounter challenges finding work and a place to live. It can also ruin your reputation within the community and your family.

You should have a dedicated and aggressive Dallas sex crime defense attorney by your side to defend you against these charges. In your case, we will determine the appropriate defense to disprove the prosecution’s theories. We can gather relevant evidence and fight in court to reduce the charge or dismiss your entire case.

Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter is ready to fight for you in court. We’re not afraid to go up against the most aggressive prosecutors. We can handle the various aspects of your case and try to reach the best possible outcome. You can count on us to protect your rights.

Call us at (214) 845-7007 right now for a free consultation and learn more about what we can do for you.

Criminal Solicitation of a Minor

According to Texas Penal Code 15.031, criminal solicitation of a minor occurs when someone:

Commands, requests, or attempts to induce a minor to engage in conduct constituting an offense in Article 42A.054 or make the minor a party to an offense in the same article.
Requests, commands, or attempts to induce a minor or a person they believe is a minor to engage in conduct that would constitute a specific offense contained in the Texas Penal Code or make the minor or the other individual a party to the commission of a crime under the same sections of the code.

Solicitation of a minor can also involve using an electronic device to commit the offense. Online solicitation of a minor occurs when a person uses text message or electronic mail over the internet, or another electronic message system or service or by a commercial online service intends to:

Communicate with a minor in a sexually explicit way; or
Distribute sexually explicit material to a minor.

Online solicitation of a minor can also occur when a person uses email, texts, or another service over the internet to knowingly solicit a minor to meet with another person to engage in sexual intercourse, sexual contact, or deviate sexual intercourse with the person or offender.

In Texas, a minor is a child under the age of 17. It doesn’t matter if the child agrees to engage in the sexual act or if the defendant completes the solicitation successfully. A conviction could still result from the criminal activity.

Penalties for a Criminal Solicitation of a Minor Conviction

solicitation of a minor sentencing Solicitation of a minor is a felony, regardless of whether the defendant committed the crime online. Texas Penal Code 15.031(e) considers the offense one category lower than the offense solicited by the defendant. However, the category of the crime is the same if the prosecution can show that the defendant:

Was at least 17 years old at the time of the offense, a member of a criminal street gang; and
Committed the crime with the intent to further the gang’s criminal activities or avoid detection as a criminal street gang member.

Sentencing depends on the circumstances of the crime. The judge can use the sentencing guidelines below and various factors associated with the case to issue an appropriate penalty.

State Jail Felony

No less than 180 days or more than two years in state jail
Up to a $10,000 fine

Third Degree Felony

A maximum of a $10,000 fine
Between two and ten years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Second Degree Felony

No less than two years or more than 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Up to a $10,000 fine

First Degree Felony

Between five and 99 years or life imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
No more than a $10,000 fine

The consequences of a conviction can extend far beyond a prison sentence. You will have a permanent criminal record, allowing anyone to search for your arrest and conviction details online. You also lose certain rights, such as voting or owning a firearm.

One of the most damaging penalties of a solicitation of a minor conviction is registering as a sex offender upon release from prison. The Sex Offender Registration Program requires registration within seven days of arriving in a county or municipality where the person resides or intends to reside for longer than seven days.

Information you must provide can include:

Full name
Sex
Race
Date of birth
Driver’s license number
Social security number
All aliases used
Residential address
A color photograph or electronic digital image
Full set of fingerprints
Type of offense, including the date of conviction, age of the victim, and sentence served

If you don’t register as a sex offender within the required timeframe, you could face up to a $10,000 fine and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Typically, sex offenders must confirm their information on the registry with the local law enforcement agency once every year. However, certain offenses and violent crimes require registration verification every 90 days. Additionally, any time you move, you must submit your change of address to law enforcement and your supervising officer seven days before moving.

Registered sex offenders also face restrictions regarding their residence, employment, and additional circumstances. Anyone convicted of criminal solicitation of a minor is prohibited from receiving compensation for:

Offering or providing limousine transportation or passenger taxicab service
Providing or offering to operate a bus
Providing or offering to operate an amusement ride
Offering or providing to provide a service in someone else’s residence unless under supervision

Residency restrictions prohibit convicted sex offenders from residing in or visiting a residence within 500 feet of:

Parks
Schools
Sports fields
Playgrounds
Daycare facilities
Additional places minors frequent

Contact Us

If you were arrested or charged with criminal solicitation of a minor in Texas, do not hesitate to contact Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter. Our legal team is ready to defend you and help you get your life back on track. Call (214) 845-7007 for your free consultation with a trusted Dallas criminal solicitation of a minor defense attorney.

TESTIMONIALS

Recommendation for Mark LassiterI am pleased to write a letter of recommendation. I highly recommend Mark Lassiter to others who are seeking such assistance. His representation allowed me to do very little in my case. It was Mark’s proven expertise and his legal knowledge that was valuable in getting my case dismissed. In short, I recommend Mark enthusiastically without reservation and I do believe he would be a valuable asset to you.

- Name Redacted

dear Markplease accept this letter on my and Susan’s behalf. there is a powerful message and testimony we would like to share with you for the first time.for over a year the weight of what happened to Reid was heavy on our souls. at first we held great anger, resentment and disgust toward Angel (the passenger). it became evident after turning 21 the Angel has a severe alcohol problem which my son nor us fully understood. The arrest also brought us great disappointment, frustration and disheartenment toward Reid.We have found that God often surprises us with his answers to our prayers. Prior to the arrest was had been in prayer that God help turn Reid away from selfishness, childishness and destructive ways. We prayed that God move to change him toward everlasting values and better choices in his life. We believe that God answered that prayer with the arrest. We blamed ourselves for bringing this calamity but understood it would take something this powerful to reach him. There is no doubt in our minds this ordeal has placed a permanent imprint on his soul.during the many delays associated with this case we were able to put forgiveness in our hearts toward Angel. Also during the many delays the full weight of the case in our and Reid’s mind triggered conversations pertaining to life decisions and direction. Time allowed us the opportunity to be rid of the noise and cloudiness of our emotions. We believe this to be a part of the master plan that God was overseeing.Only today did the full story become revealed. During this case with all the odds against us can we say without question that God was in it. How else could the series of events occurred within the judicial process that could put the opportunity in to your mind that there was a way to victory. The entire morning Susan and i were in fervent prayer even after your told us we had only a 25% chance of winning.Grace is the receipt of a blessing that is undeserved. Reid did not deserve to win today. We all are eternally marked by the message of grace given to us and you were the instrument that brought the gift to our house. Thank you from bottom of our souls and may God bless and keep you all of your days.

- Name Redacted

Dear Mr. Lassiter,Today you saved my son’s life. When he received a DWI, it broke my heart because I knew it would be on his record forever. It would limit his options in life. He would be paying for his stupid mistake for the rest of his life. At 21 years of age he was overwhelmed with the depth of the problem he created for himself.I decided to find him the best lawyer in Dallas, and I did. I researched lawyers for two days, and then I found you. I knew from the moment I read about you that you were the one we needed. When I met you, I knew instantly that I had complete confidence in you. Even if the result had ended with my son being guilty, I would have had peace knowing that he had had THE BEST lawyer.Listening to you “own” the courtroom today was amazing. You told us in the morning that we only had about 25% chance to win; however, by the middle of the afternoon the case was over before the prosecutors even finished, and we won! What an incredible lawyer you are!I will be grateful forever to you. Your work has given my son a second chance. He left the courtroom today with a whole new perspective on life…thanks to you!Very sincerely,

- Susan Ellis

unless you are already a petty criminal with countless B and C misdemeanors and a misdemeanor A pending, a DWI charge might not really matter much – for all the others counts: Fight it with all you got – get the best professional to your side you can find!Why should you? A simple google search “Texas DWI penalties” will give you an idea what you are looking at: prison, probation, fines, classes, ignition interlock, insurance rate skyrockets and a criminal record for life (yes – this can happen even for a first time DWI in Texas) Now if you read until this point you probably are charged with a DWI (or simply board) and you are shopping for a lawyer – so some basic guidance:a) Same as in real life: You want to be surrounded by people who know what they are talking about. Nobody likes people who constantly brag around, through around the usual business buzz words which doesn’t mean anything. So: Get somebody who is specialized in this field, means if 50% or more of his work is in the field of defending DWI’s that’s probably a good indicator– Mark is one of them – talk to him you will see!b) Educate yourself – thanks to a wonderful innovation by DARPA (which you are using in this moment) you can read all about it: What happened the night before, what’s a SFT, what is a legal stop, how does an Intoxilyzer 5000 work and what flaws does it have, possible plea bargain options (not so tempting ones in TX anyway) – read the stuff, it’s out there and discuss it with your attorney – if he doesn’t want or can’t answer your questions, that’s a pretty good indicator that your sitting in the wrong office, run!– Mark WILL answer your questions – and I’m convinced you cannot surprise him with a question in your case that he can’t answer or will find an answer for you!c) Your lawyer should – more or less – from the beginning be willing to take your case to Trial, all the way. What do you have to lose? If you are a BAC 0.28 candidate and you plea it down to a misdemeanor B it technically looks better on paper – but it will still follow you for life (most employers wouldn’t even consider the difference or know it – a DWI is a DWI…) If you are a BAC 0.09 candidate your chances are even better – (did you know the Intoxilyzer 5000 gives himself a +-0.02 calibration margin? What now, is a BAC 0.09 and hour after driving now under the legal limit? Guess what, the state will state “off course NOT! The magic machine proved he’s Intoxicated and guilty!” That’s why you need a lawyer on your side who is willing to take it to trial!– Mark is a trial lawyer – those people don’t want to plea out, they need the courtroom as their stage, that’s what they love to do, that’s what they are good at – so let him do it for you!d) Money / Costs – completely neglect. This is not the time for price comparison. You are not out there to shop for new hardwood floor for your living room – you are out there to get the best possible outcome in a situation which initial will hurt you if convicted pretty bad (financially), possible cost you your job, destroy your reputation and will follow you around for the rest of your natural life.– Mark will not overcharge you for his service, in my opinion you are getting a great deal. If you have the feeling you cannot afford a lawyer like Mark put it into perspective: if you hire a $500 lawyer and plead guilty maybe to a DWI misdemeanor B, you will pay much more over the years in court costs, classes, probation fees, DPS surcharges, insurance and and and… But if you hire Mark, you have one of the best at your side, you have a real chance – off course Mark isn’t a magic wizard who can make everything go away in a moment’s notice, but 5,10,20 years down the road you don’t want to think “oh boy, I wish I would have fought this thing more aggressively back then…” I was already a bit into my case when I met Mark. Mark has a can do attitude, does not try to beat around the bush and most importantly: He looks at things, tries different avenues, seeks out weaknesses in the case base on the evidence presented – if you meet him, you will have the same experience. During our meetings we discussed alternatives and other options e.g. expert witnesses, jury trial, bench trial, plea agreement (even if he didn’t like that – Mark doesn’t want to plea, he wants to win for his clients)And here is the outcome:A clear acquittal – NOT GUILTY(even better than a dismissal which technically can be reopened by the DA within the statute of limitations – if I understood that right – Not guilty means you are not guilty, case expunged – that’s the end of it!)Mark’s services helped me to get the best possible outcome you can expect when you are charged with a (DWI / DUI) crime and I hope I will never see him again….. (under such circumstances J ) –

- Daniel

I would never use or recommend anyone else for anybody else for a criminal manner.

- Cory M.

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