TITLE LXII
CRIMINAL CODE

CHAPTER 649-A
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IMAGES

Section 649-A:3

    649-A:3 Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Images. –
I. No person shall knowingly:
(a) Buy, procure, possess, or control any visual representation of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or
(b) Bring or cause to be brought into this state any visual representation of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
II. An offense under this section shall be a class A felony if such person has had no previous convictions in this state or another jurisdiction for the conduct prohibited by paragraph I. Upon conviction of an offense under this section based on an indictment alleging that the person has been previously convicted of an offense under this section or a reasonably equivalent offense in another jurisdiction, the defendant may be sentenced to a maximum sentence not to exceed 20 years and a minimum sentence not to exceed 1/2 of the maximum sentence.
III. It shall be an affirmative defense to a charge of violating paragraph I of this section that the defendant:
(a) Possessed less than 3 images of any visual depiction proscribed by that paragraph; and
(b) Promptly and in good faith, and without retaining or allowing any person, other than a law enforcement agency, to access any visual depiction or copy thereof:
(1) Took reasonable steps to destroy each such visual depiction; or
(2) Reported the matter to a law enforcement agency and afforded that agency access to each such visual depiction.

Source. 1983, 448:2. 1991, 27:1. 1998, 361:1. 2008, 323:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.