Sparta police charged a former New Jersey high school teacher with child endangerment and manufacturing of child sexual abuse for allegedly taking photos and videos of eighth-grade girls. According to the release statement, Michael Wagner, 41, "would position the electronic devices in such a way as to capture and record the underclothing of female students." If the police have charged you with crimes against children, including child endangerment and child sexual abuse, you need an experienced lawyer who will fight the criminal charges against you and fight for the best possible outcome in your case. Contact the Lento Law Firm Criminal Defense Team today at 888.535.3686 or through our online form to understand your legal rights.

Crimes Against Children Come With Steep Penalties

Wagner was hit with two separate charges involving a child, and both come with hefty consequences. Child endangerment, also referred to as endangering the welfare of a child, involves situations where an individual's actions put a child's safety, well-being, or physical, mental, or moral welfare at risk. This includes physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, or exposing a child to hazardous situations. Child endangerment can also involve child pornography, defined as producing, distributing, possessing, or viewing explicit images or videos of minors.

Child sexual abuse involves acts of sexual contact or sexual penetration between a minor child and an adult. However, according to the child advocacy organization Stop It Now, sexual abuse of a child doesn't always involve physical contact. Examples of non-contact sexual abuse include "an adult exposing their genitals to a child, showing pornography to a child, inappropriately peeking in on a youth when they're changing or showering, and masturbating in front of a child," as well as manufacturing, distributing, and viewing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Contact the Lento Law Firm's Criminal Defense Team Today

If you have been accused of endangering the welfare of a child or child sexual abuse, you are facing some of the most serious criminal charges possible. A conviction could result in a lengthy prison sentence, lifetime registration as a sex offender, and irreparable damage to your reputation and future.

You need an aggressive, experienced criminal defense attorney on your side to fight these charges and protect your rights. Do not speak to investigators or anyone else about your case until you have legal representation. Remain silent and contact the criminal defense team at Lento Law Firm immediately.

Our battle-tested attorneys have decades of experience defending clients against child endangerment and sexual abuse allegations. We will thoroughly investigate the accusations, challenge the prosecution's evidence, and leverage every legal strategy to pursue the best possible outcome. Let us put our experience to work for you. Contact the Lento Law Firm Criminal Defense Team today at 888.535.3686 or through our online form to discuss your case and help protect your future.