Pasco County Solicitation of a Minor Lawyer
The best outcome in a solicitation of a minor case is usually one that keeps the accusation from becoming a conviction that follows you for life, and sometimes that means ending the case before charges are ever filed. King Law Group is a criminal defense firm that handles sex crimes cases for adults and juveniles across Pasco County, Pinellas County and the wider Tampa Bay area, and our practice is focused solely on criminal defense. If you are looking for a Pasco County solicitation of a minor lawyer, we take calls around the clock because these cases often begin before an arrest, with a knock on the door, a phone seized, or a detective asking for a “quick conversation.”
Solicitation cases are unusual because the alleged victim is often not a child at all. Many are built from online chats, text messages, social media accounts and undercover communications, and the evidence is mostly digital. That changes how the case should be defended. The questions are about who was actually on the other end of the conversation, what was said, who said it first, whether an agreement or a real step toward meeting existed, and whether police or prosecutors crossed lines in how they gathered the proof.
Because the charge is a sex offense, even an accusation can cost a job, a professional license, a home, and relationships. Handling the first days correctly matters more than almost anything that happens later.
How Solicitation of a Minor Cases Are Built in Pasco County
Most of these prosecutions start with one of three things: an online sting in which an officer poses as a minor or as a parent, a report from a parent or school about messages sent to a real teenager, or a device search that turns up conversations during an unrelated investigation. In Pasco County, arrests can be made by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the New Port Richey Police Department, the Port Richey Police Department or the Florida Highway Patrol, and larger operations may involve several agencies working together.
After arrest, a person is generally booked into the county jail in Land O’ Lakes and appears before a judge at first appearance, typically within about 24 hours. Felony cases are heard in Pasco Circuit Court, which sits at the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey and the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City. Misdemeanor and criminal traffic matters go to Pasco County Court. The felony degree charged drives everything else: a third-degree felony carries up to 5 years in prison, a second-degree felony up to 15 years, and a first-degree felony up to 30 years, with fines up to $5,000, $10,000 and $10,000 respectively under the general sentencing statute.
Prosecutors in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Pasco and Pinellas, decide what to file after reviewing the arrest report, the chat logs and the forensic extraction from any phones or computers. That review period is a real opportunity. A defense lawyer who engages early can sometimes present context, challenge how evidence was collected, or point out gaps before a formal charge is locked in.
Why Choose King Law Group for a Pasco County Solicitation Defense
King Law Group is led by Cameron King, a former felony prosecutor for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, the circuit that covers both Pasco and Pinellas Counties. As a prosecutor he handled thousands of cases, from murder, manslaughter and armed robbery to DUI, drug possession and domestic violence. He earned both his undergraduate business degree and his law degree at Florida State University, where he focused on criminal law, and he later practiced criminal defense at a prominent litigation firm before building a practice devoted to defending people in the Tampa Bay community.
That background matters in a solicitation case. Cameron knows how prosecutors in this circuit evaluate digital evidence, what they need to show about intent, and where arrests built on online communications tend to weaken. The firm represents clients in West Pasco communities such as New Port Richey, Port Richey, Hudson, Bayonet Point, Holiday and Trinity, in Dade City, and across Pinellas County in Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg.
We handle cases from pre-arrest investigation through trial and record sealing. Clients consistently describe Cameron as honest, straightforward and quick to return calls, and they say he explains every step. Our phone is answered 24/7, and your first consultation is free.
Charges and Issues That Arise in Solicitation Cases
- Online Solicitation Stings: An officer poses as a minor on a chat platform or app, and the accused is arrested after traveling to a meeting location. Defense questions focus on who initiated sexual talk, whether the person was pressured or led along, and whether a real intent to commit an offense existed.
- Solicitation Using a Computer or Device: Florida law separately addresses using a computer, phone or other device to solicit a minor, or someone believed to be a minor, and these can be charged as felonies. The messages themselves become the core exhibit, so authentication and context are critical.
- Traveling to Meet a Minor: Prosecutors often add a travel-related count when the accused drove to a meeting place. The State must connect the trip to the alleged solicitation, which is a point worth testing.
- Unlawful Sexual Conduct and Related Counts: Charges involving transmission of harmful material or lewd conduct may be stacked alongside solicitation. Each count carries its own felony degree and penalty range.
- Cases Involving a Real Teenager: When messages were sent to an actual minor, the case may rest on ages, what each person knew, and the platform used. Parents, schools and a social media company’s reports often set these in motion.
- Juvenile Accusations: A teenager accused of soliciting another teenager faces a different system and different consequences. The firm represents juveniles as well as adults, and the strategy centers on keeping the case from reaching the most damaging outcomes.
- Pre-Arrest Investigations: Detectives may call, email or appear at a home to “ask a few questions” or seize devices. Anything said can become the State’s evidence, and declining the interview is the safer course.
What to Do If You Are Under Investigation or Have Been Arrested
Do not talk to detectives without a lawyer, even if you believe you have a simple explanation. Officers in these cases are trained to elicit admissions, and a recorded “clarification” frequently becomes the strongest part of the State’s case. You can politely say you will not answer questions and want to speak with an attorney. Do not consent to a search of your phone, computer or accounts, and do not delete messages, accounts or apps. Deleting data after learning of an investigation can be portrayed as consciousness of guilt and may lead to additional allegations.
If you have been arrested, call a defense lawyer before first appearance if at all possible. At that hearing a judge in Pasco County reviews probable cause and sets release conditions, and in sex offense cases those conditions can include no contact with minors, limits on internet and device use, and electronic monitoring. A lawyer can argue for reasonable terms and a bond you can actually meet. If release is denied or conditions are too harsh, a later bond hearing is another chance to ask for changes.
After that, the case moves through the felony division at the West Pasco Judicial Center or the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center, depending on where it is assigned. Expect the defense to request the full discovery file: chat logs, extraction reports, search warrants and affidavits, body camera footage and any recordings. Your lawyer reviews whether warrants were properly supported and whether statements were taken after proper warnings. Keep your own records organized, including your account of events, names of people who know the facts, and anything showing where you were and what devices you used. Avoid discussing the case with friends, on social media, or in jail calls, which are recorded.
Mistakes that hurt people most are talking to police, contacting the alleged victim or the sting account again, wiping devices, and waiting weeks to hire counsel. Prompt action keeps more options open.
Defenses, Negotiation and Long-Term Consequences
Defenses depend on the evidence. Where law enforcement drove the conversation, the defense may argue entrapment or lack of predisposition. Where messages are ambiguous, the defense may attack the State’s reading of intent. Where a phone was searched, a motion to suppress can challenge the warrant or the consent. Where identity is disputed, the State must prove the accused actually authored the messages and controlled the account.
Not every case is about proving innocence. Sometimes the best result is a reduced charge, a withheld adjudication, or a diversion-type resolution, and the right goal depends on what matters most to you, whether your job, license, immigration status or family. Cameron’s years inside the State Attorney’s Office help him judge when prosecutors are likely to move and when a case should be tried.
Be aware of consequences beyond jail or prison. A sex offense conviction can bring probation conditions, restrictions on contact with minors, sex offender registration in some cases, and lasting effects on employment and housing. Because eligibility for sealing or expunging a record depends on how a case ends, the way a case is resolved can determine whether you can ever clear it. A person may seal or expunge only one arrest record in one proceeding, and must first obtain a certificate of eligibility from FDLE. A case that ends in dismissal or acquittal is treated very differently from one that ends in a plea.
The timing of prosecution also matters. Where the alleged victim is under 18, the clock for bringing certain sex or child-abuse charges may not start until the victim turns 18 or the matter is reported to law enforcement, whichever is earlier, so an old accusation can still become a case.
Solicitation of a Minor FAQs for Pasco County
Is solicitation of a minor a felony in Florida?
Most solicitation of a minor charges involving computer or device communications are felonies. The exact degree depends on the statute charged and the facts, and a first-degree felony can carry up to 30 years, a second-degree felony up to 15 years, and a third-degree felony up to 5 years.
What if the “minor” was actually an undercover officer?
Florida law generally allows these charges even when no real child existed, if the accused believed they were communicating with a minor. That does not end the defense. The question becomes what the accused actually believed, who steered the conversation, and whether the State can prove intent.
Can I be charged if I never met anyone in person?
Yes. Solicitation can be charged based on communications alone. Meeting in person may add further counts, but it is not required for the core offense.
Should I talk to detectives to clear things up?
Almost never without a lawyer. Statements made trying to explain a misunderstanding are among the most common sources of damaging evidence. Decline politely and call us first.
Where will my case be heard?
Felony cases in Pasco County are heard in Pasco Circuit Court at either the West Pasco Judicial Center in New Port Richey or the Robert D. Sumner Judicial Center in Dade City, depending on how the case is assigned. We handle cases at both.
What happens at first appearance in a sex offense case?
A judge reviews probable cause and sets release conditions, usually within about 24 hours of arrest. In these cases conditions often include contact restrictions and limits on device use, so having a lawyer present or involved early helps.
Can police take my phone without a warrant?
Generally they need a warrant or your consent. If you are asked to hand over a phone or unlock it, you can decline and ask for a lawyer. Evidence from an unlawful search may be challenged through a motion to suppress.
Is entrapment a realistic defense?
It can be, when the facts show that law enforcement induced the conduct rather than simply providing an opportunity. The defense turns on who raised sexual topics, how often the officer pushed, and whether the accused showed prior readiness to commit the offense. It requires careful review of every message.
Will a solicitation charge affect my professional license or job?
It can. Many licensing boards and employers react to sex offense allegations, and some may act before a case ends. Discuss your profession with your lawyer early so strategy accounts for those risks.
Can a juvenile be charged with solicitation of another minor?
Yes. Juvenile cases are handled in Pasco Circuit Court and follow different procedures than adult cases. The firm represents juveniles, and the goal is typically to limit long-term damage and avoid the most serious outcomes.
Can the case be sealed or expunged later?
Possibly, but it depends on the outcome. Dismissal or acquittal may allow expunction, while a withheld adjudication may allow sealing, and expunging a sealed record where adjudication was withheld generally requires the record to have been sealed for 10 years. A certificate of eligibility from FDLE comes first, and certain offenses are not eligible.
Serving Solicitation of a Minor Clients Across Pasco County and Beyond
King Law Group defends solicitation and other sex crimes cases throughout Pasco County, beginning in New Port Richey and Port Richey and extending north through Hudson and Bayonet Point and south through Holiday and Trinity. We also serve clients in Elfers, Jasmine Estates and Beacon Square, and we take cases from every corner of the county, including those heard in Dade City.
Across the county line, we represent people in Pinellas County, including Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg, where the same State Attorney’s Office prosecutes the arrests. Because Pasco and Pinellas share the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Cameron’s experience as a prosecutor applies on both sides of the line, and our work reaches throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.
Speak With a Pasco County Solicitation of a Minor Attorney Today
If you are under investigation or have been arrested, a Pasco County solicitation of a minor attorney should be involved before you answer a single question. Former felony prosecutor Cameron King and King Law Group will review the evidence, explain the charges and penalties you face, and build a defense around your goals. Call any time, day or night, for a free consultation and complimentary case evaluation.
