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IC § 35-42-4-4 Child Exploitation; Possession of Child Pornography; Exemptions; Defenses

(a) The following definitions apply throughout this section:

(1) “Disseminate” means to transfer possession for free or for a consideration.

(2) “Matter” has the same meaning as in IC 35-49-1-3.

(3) “Performance” has the same meaning as in IC 35-49-1-7.

(4) “Sexual conduct” means:

(A) sexual intercourse;

(B) other sexual conduct (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-221.5);

(i) uncovered genitals; or

(ii) female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple;

intended to satisfy or arouse the sexual desires of any person;

(D) sadomasochistic abuse;

(E) sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct (as defined in IC 35-31.5-2-221.5) with an animal; or

(F) any fondling or touching of a child by another person or of another person by a child intended to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the other person.

(b) A person who:

(1) knowingly or intentionally manages, produces, sponsors, presents, exhibits, photographs, films, videotapes, or creates a digitized image of any performance or incident that includes sexual conduct by a child under eighteen (18) years of age;

(2) knowingly or intentionally disseminates, exhibits to another person, offers to disseminate or exhibit to another person, or sends or brings into Indiana for dissemination or exhibition matter that depicts or describes sexual conduct by a child under eighteen (18) years of age;

(3) knowingly or intentionally makes available to another person a computer, knowing that the computer’s fixed drive or peripheral device contains matter that depicts or describes sexual conduct by a child less than eighteen (18) years of age; or

(4) with the intent to satisfy or arouse the sexual desires of any person:

(A) knowingly or intentionally:

(i) manages;

(ii) produces;

(iii) sponsors;

(iv) presents;

(v) exhibits;

(vi) photographs;

(vii) films;

(viii) videotapes; or

(ix) creates a digitized image of;

any performance or incident that includes the uncovered genitals of a child less than eighteen (18) years of age or the exhibition of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple by a child less than eighteen (18) years of age;

(B) knowingly or intentionally:

(i) disseminates to another person;

(ii) exhibits to another person;

(iii) offers to disseminate or exhibit to another person; or

(iv) sends or brings into Indiana for dissemination or exhibition;

matter that depicts the uncovered genitals of a child less than eighteen (18) years of age or the exhibition of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple by a child less than eighteen (18) years of age; or

(C) makes available to another person a computer, knowing that the computer’s fixed drive or peripheral device contains matter that depicts the uncovered genitals of a child less than eighteen (18) years of age or the exhibition of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple by a child less than eighteen (18) years of age;

commits child exploitation, a Level 5 felony.

(1) the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident depicts or describes a child less than eighteen (18) years of age who:

(A) engages in bestiality (as described in IC 35-46-3-14);

(B) is mentally disabled or deficient;

(D) physically or verbally resists participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident;

(E) receives a bodily injury while participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident; or

(F) is less than twelve (12) years of age; or

(2) the child less than eighteen (18) years of age:

(A) engages in bestiality (as described in IC 35-46-3-14);

(B) is mentally disabled or deficient;

(D) physically or verbally resists participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident;

(E) receives a bodily injury while participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident; or

(F) is less than twelve (12) years of age.

(d) A person who knowingly or intentionally possesses or accesses with intent to view:

(1) a picture;

(2) a drawing;

(3) a photograph;

(4) a negative image;

(5) undeveloped film;

(6) a motion picture;

(7) a videotape;

(8) a digitized image; or

(9) any pictorial representation;

that depicts or describes sexual conduct by a child who the person knows is less than eighteen (18) years of age or who appears to be less than eighteen (18) years of age, and that lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value commits possession of child pornography, a Level 6 felony.

(e) However, the offense of possession of child pornography described in subsection (d) is a Level 5 felony if:

(1) the item described in subsection (d)(1) through (d)(9) depicts or describes sexual conduct by a child who the person knows is less than eighteen (18) years of age, or who appears to be less than eighteen (18) years of age, who:

(A) engages in bestiality (as described in IC 35-46-3-14);

(B) is mentally disabled or deficient;

(D) physically or verbally resists participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident;

(E) receives a bodily injury while participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident; or

(F) is less than twelve (12) years of age; or

(2) the child whose sexual conduct is depicted or described in an item described in subsection (d)(1) through (d)(9):

(A) engages in bestiality (as described in IC 35-46-3-14);

(B) is mentally disabled or deficient;

(D) physically or verbally resists participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident;

(E) receives a bodily injury while participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident; or

(F) is less than twelve (12) years of age.

(f) Subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) do not apply to a bona fide school, museum, or public library that qualifies for certain property tax exemptions under IC 6-1.1-10, or to an employee of such a school, museum, or public library acting within the scope of the employee’s employment when the possession of the listed materials is for legitimate scientific or educational purposes.

(g) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that:

(1) the person is a school employee; and

(2) the acts constituting the elements of the offense were performed solely within the scope of the person’s employment as a school employee.

(h) Except as provided in subsection (i), it is a defense to a prosecution under subsection (b), (c), (d), or (e) if all of the following apply:

(1) A cellular telephone, another wireless or cellular communications device, or a social networking web site was used to possess, produce, or disseminate the image.

(2) The defendant is not more than four (4) years older or younger than the person who is depicted in the image or who received the image.

(3) The relationship between the defendant and the person who received the image or who is depicted in the image was a dating relationship or an ongoing personal relationship. For purposes of this subdivision, the term “ongoing personal relationship” does not include a family relationship.

(4) The crime was committed by a person less than twenty-two (22) years of age.

(5) The person receiving the image or who is depicted in the image acquiesced in the defendant’s conduct.

(i) The defense to a prosecution described in subsection (h) does not apply if:

(1) the person who receives the image disseminates it to a person other than the person:

(A) who sent the image; or

(B) who is depicted in the image;

(2) the image is of a person other than the person who sent the image or received the image; or

(3) the dissemination of the image violates:

(A) a protective order to prevent domestic or family violence issued under IC 34-26-5 (or, if the order involved a family or household member, under IC 34-26-2 or IC 34-4-5.1-5 before their repeal);

(B) an ex parte protective order issued under IC 34-26-5 (or, if the order involved a family or household member, an emergency order issued under IC 34-26-2 or IC 34-4-5.1 before their repeal);

(D) a no contact order in a dispositional decree issued under IC 31-34-20-1, IC 31-37-19-1, or IC 31-37-5-6 (or IC 31-6-4-15.4 or IC 31-6-4-15.9 before their repeal) or an order issued under IC 31-32-13 (or IC 31-6-7-14before its repeal) that orders the person to refrain from direct or indirect contact with a child in need of services or a delinquent child;

(E) a no contact order issued as a condition of pretrial release, including release on bail or personal recognizance, or pretrial diversion, and including a no contact order issued under IC 35-33-8-3.6;

(F) a no contact order issued as a condition of probation;

(G) a protective order to prevent domestic or family violence issued under IC 31-15-5 (or IC 31-16-5 or IC 31-1-11.5-8.2 before their repeal);

(H) a protective order to prevent domestic or family violence issued under IC 31-14-16-1 in a paternity action;

(I) a no contact order issued under IC 31-34-25 in a child in need of services proceeding or under IC 31-37-25in a juvenile delinquency proceeding;

(J) an order issued in another state that is substantially similar to an order described in clauses (A) through (I);

(K) an order that is substantially similar to an order described in clauses (A) through (I) and is issued by an Indian:

(i) tribe;

(ii) band;

(iii) pueblo;

(iv) nation; or

(v) organized group or community, including an Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.);

that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their special status as Indians;

(L) an order issued under IC 35-33-8-3.2; or

(M) an order issued under IC 35-38-1-30.

(j) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that:

(1) the person was less than eighteen (18) years of age at the time the alleged offense was committed; and

(2) the circumstances described in IC 35-45-4-6(a)(2) through IC 35-45-4-6(a)(4) apply.

(k) A person is entitled to present the defense described in subsection (j) in a pretrial hearing. If a person proves by a preponderance of the evidence in a pretrial hearing that the defense described in subsection (j) applies, the court shall dismiss the charges under this section with prejudice.

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If you are in need of an Indiana expungement attorney, Indiana criminal defense attorney, or Indiana forfeiture attorney, or have questions about the Indiana Expungement Law please call me for a free consultation at 317-695-7700. I have personally defended thousands of cases, teach criminal law at the IU School of Law, am a top rated attorney, and have practiced criminal defense my entire career. Additional information about my office is available on the home page and the in the news page.

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Child Exploitation Possession of Child Pornography Exemptions Defenses