{"id":374452,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:48","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/missouri-law\/missouri-child-pornography-laws.html"},"modified":"2025-05-22T15:26:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T20:26:14","slug":"missouri-child-pornography-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/missouri-law\/missouri-child-pornography-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Missouri Child Pornography Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Missouri Child Pornography Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

There are federal and state laws against child pornography. Most states consider sex crimes involving children as reprehensible. Therefore, the penalties for these criminal offenses are severe. If you\u2019re facing child pornography charges, you should familiarize yourself with Missouri\u2019s child pornography laws.<\/p>\r\n

Under Missouri law, the promotion, distribution, and possession of child pornography is a crime. If law enforcement catches you with pornographic materials depicting someone under the age of 18, they\u2019ll arrest you and charge you with a felony.<\/p>\r\n

Degrees of Child Pornography Charges in Missouri<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The State of Missouri has different levels of child pornography charges. The most serious are those child pornography cases involving children under the age of 14. Child pornography offenses involving children under 14 years of age are first-degree offenses and carry severe penalties, including life in prison.<\/p>\r\n

Second-degree criminal charges involve images of child pornography featuring children under 18 years of age. Providing or showing porn to a child under 18 is also illegal.<\/p>\r\n

Missouri\u2019s Child Porn Laws at a Glance<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The table below offers details about Missouri child pornography laws. For more information, see the FindLaw Sex Crimes<\/a> section.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Missouri Child Pornography Code Sections<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/th>\r\n

Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 573: Pornography and Related Offenses<\/b><\/p>\r\n

What Is Prohibited?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/th>\r\n

It\u2019s illegal to photograph, film, videotape, or order anyone under the age of 18 to perform sexually. It\u2019s also unlawful to make a minor watch sexually explicit material, including material on the internet.<\/p>\r\n

Buyers and sellers of "obscene" materials must confirm the materials do not include a visual depiction of a child under the age of 18. Obscene materials are those that the average person would consider to be depicting sexual conduct and lacking serious artistic or scientific value.<\/p>\r\n

It is also illegal for any adult to engage in sexting with a minor, especially if the content of the texts includes sexually explicit images of a child.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Missouri Child Pornography Penalties<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/th>\r\n

Penalties vary depending on the defendant\u2019s conduct and such person\u2019s knowledge of the age of the child involved (or the apparent age of the child):<\/p>\r\n