Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

Mandatory Minimum Sentencing

Mandatory Minimum Sentencing

New federal statutes require mandatory minimum sentences for all child pornography crimes. If convicted, you can face serious consequences for the rest of your life, from a lengthy prison sentence to lifetime sex offender registration requirements. An "inchoate offense"- the act of preparing for or seeking to commit another crime-is also a crime. A true offense occurs when the intended crime is committed. The prosecutors will charge you with the crime you are most likely to be convicted of, since you can't be charged for both an inchoate and true offense. However, inchoate crimes can result in the same mandatory minimum sentence as the intended crime. Solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (IDSI), for example, can involve serious jail time for doctors, teachers, lawyers, business owners and other professionals.