Online Solicitation of a Minor Defense in Louisiana

Written by Jarrett Ambeau, trial attorney, court-qualified forensic DNA expert, and lead counsel at The Ambeau Law Firm.

What is online solicitation of a minor in Louisiana? It is charged as computer-aided solicitation of a minor under La. R.S. 14:81.3: using electronic communication to knowingly contact someone under seventeen, or reasonably believed to be, with intent to entice them into sexual conduct. It is a felony carrying years at hard labor without benefits and mandatory sex-offender registration.

These cases frequently begin with an online sting, where the person on the other end is an investigator, not a minor. The law makes clear that fact is not a defense, which is why so many of these prosecutions look the way they do. Because the crime turns on the words in a chat and the intent behind them, the defense is built in the details of the communication and the investigation.

I am Jarrett Ambeau. I have tried more than sixty felony jury trials to verdict, and I am a court-qualified forensic DNA expert. In these cases, the digital evidence, the intent, and how the sting was run are where the defense is won.

Quick answers

• What it is: using electronic communication to entice a person under seventeen, or reasonably believed to be, into sexual conduct (La. R.S. 14:81.3).
• The penalty: five to ten years for a victim thirteen to sixteen; ten to twenty if under thirteen; two to ten in a sting, all without benefits.
• The key issue: intent, entrapment, and the interpretation of the communications.
• What to do first: say nothing to investigators and call a lawyer immediately.

What counts as computer-aided solicitation in Louisiana?

The statute reaches a person seventeen or older who knowingly uses electronic textual communication to contact a minor under seventeen, with a greater-than-two-year age gap, intending to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce them into sexual conduct, or to arrange for a third party to do so, or to recruit them into commercial sexual activity. It applies equally when the person is only reasonably believed to be a minor. The offense is complete at the communication; no meeting is required.

Elements the State must prove

To convict, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt:

• The defendant’s age. That the defendant was seventeen or older.
• Electronic communication. That the contact was made through electronic textual communication.
• A minor or believed minor. That the other person was under seventeen, or reasonably believed to be, with the required age gap.
• Specific intent. The intent to entice or arrange sexual conduct.

What happens after an online solicitation arrest in Louisiana?

Say a man named Joe is arrested after an online sting. Within seventy-two hours he has an initial appearance where bond is addressed, often with conditions restricting internet use and contact with minors. Because this is a felony, if he is held the state generally has sixty days to bring formal charges. Then arraignment, the motions phase, and trial. In the motions phase we examine the full chat logs, the metadata, and how the investigation was run.

What are the defenses to online solicitation of a minor?

The defenses that come up most often include:

• Entrapment. That law enforcement induced conduct the person was not predisposed to commit.
• No specific intent. That the communications, in context, do not prove intent to entice sexual conduct.
• Interpretation of the messages. That the chat has been misread or taken out of context.
• Identity and account issues. That someone else used the account or device.
• Constitutional challenges. Suppressing evidence obtained through unlawful searches or interrogation.

How we defend an online solicitation charge

Because I am a court-qualified forensic DNA expert, I dig into the digital record: the full chat logs, the metadata, the device data, and the chain of custody. We examine exactly how the sting was conducted and whether it crossed into entrapment, and we build the timeline the state would rather ignore. You can read more on our forensic DNA page.

These are serious federal-adjacent cases that demand skill and discretion, and we bring both. With more than sixty felony jury trials to verdict, we prepare every case for trial. It is what we do here at The Ambeau Law Firm.

Frequently asked questions

What is online solicitation of a minor in Louisiana?

Louisiana charges this as computer-aided solicitation of a minor under La. R.S. 14:81.3. It occurs when a person seventeen or older knowingly uses electronic textual communication to contact someone under seventeen, with a greater-than-two-year age gap, intending to persuade or entice them into sexual conduct. It also reaches communications with someone reasonably believed to be under seventeen, which is how sting operations are charged.

What is the penalty for computer-aided solicitation of a minor in Louisiana?

When the victim is thirteen to sixteen, the penalty is five to ten years at hard labor without benefits. When the victim is under thirteen, it is ten to twenty years. In a sting where the person is only reasonably believed to be a minor, it is two to ten years. Actual sexual conduct with a five-year-or-greater age gap raises it to seven to ten years. Registration as a sex offender is required.

Is it a defense that I was actually chatting with a police officer?

No. La. R.S. 14:81.3 expressly states it is not a defense that the person reasonably believed to be a minor is actually a law enforcement officer. That is why online sting operations are so common in these cases. The defense instead focuses on intent, entrapment, the interpretation of the communications, and how the investigation was conducted.

Does the crime require an actual meeting or physical contact?

No. The offense is complete at the point of the communication made with the required intent. No meeting, and no physical contact, is necessary. That means these cases often turn entirely on the words in a chat log and on proving the specific intent behind them, which is where the interpretation of the messages and the conduct of the investigation become central.

Talk to a Louisiana online solicitation defense lawyer

A few quick questions help us understand your situation: Has an arrest already happened? Is the case in state or federal court? Did it begin with an online sting? If you are facing an online solicitation charge, do not wait. Check Jarrett’s availability for your case or call 225-330-7009.

Louisiana statute reference

Online solicitation is charged as computer-aided solicitation of a minor under La. R.S. 14:81.3. Statutes change, so verify the current text at the Louisiana State Legislature. It is committed when a person seventeen or older knowingly uses electronic textual communication to contact a person under seventeen, or reasonably believed to be, with intent to entice them into sexual conduct, and it is not a defense that the person was actually a law enforcement officer. Penalties range from two to twenty years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension, and a conviction requires sex-offender registration.

Source: La. R.S. 14:81.3, as amended through Acts 2021, No. 186.