07-08-2014, 07:05 PM
To clarify, the age of consent for Georgia is 16.
So, unless Ross Harris distributed images of the girl he was sexting on the day that Cooper died, I don't think there's a prosecutable crime there.
BUT, Detective Stoddard noted in the probable cause hearing that Justin Ross Harris had already been in trouble with the law regarding sexual activity of some sort with minors. So, it's just my opinion (given that he sexted with six different women in the course of a few hours and has a history) that he likely had electronic and/or in-person exchanges (or images) involving girls under the age of 16.
ETA: Under Federal law (regardless of the state's age of consent), it is illegal to exchange pornographic images with any one one under the age of 18. This may be what Stoddard was talking about in terms of charges already filed for "sexual exploitation".
So, unless Ross Harris distributed images of the girl he was sexting on the day that Cooper died, I don't think there's a prosecutable crime there.
BUT, Detective Stoddard noted in the probable cause hearing that Justin Ross Harris had already been in trouble with the law regarding sexual activity of some sort with minors. So, it's just my opinion (given that he sexted with six different women in the course of a few hours and has a history) that he likely had electronic and/or in-person exchanges (or images) involving girls under the age of 16.
ETA: Under Federal law (regardless of the state's age of consent), it is illegal to exchange pornographic images with any one one under the age of 18. This may be what Stoddard was talking about in terms of charges already filed for "sexual exploitation".