A 47-year-old man was arrested in Pueblo, Colorado for obscenity charges in Florida stemming from authoring and self-publishing a “how-to” guide for pedophiles.
Philip Greaves was arrested on charges of distributing obscene materials depicting minors engaged in harmful conduct. His book, The Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure: A Child-Lover’s Code of Conduct, first went on sale earlier this year on Amazon.com despite vast public outcry and boycott threats from the website’s users. The book was later taken off the site in November.
According to sources, the book contains a “how-to” guide for committing acts of sexual battery against children. Among the topics covered in the book include advice on safe sex, avoiding injury to children, grooming and preparing children for sex, and teaching children how to lie to their parents. Its pages also allegedly feature specific examples and illustrations depicting nine and thirteen-year-old boys.
Greaves was arrested after undercover detectives from Polk County, Florida purchased a copy of the book and later received it in the mail. He will have to be extradited to Florida in order to face charges. Although the publication of the book is protected under free speech laws, it is a violation of a Florida obscenity statute that prohibits depicting children in a “harmful relationship.”
Beneath the obscenity charges in this case is the underlying crime of sexual conduct with a minor. Although not in itself a violation of California Penal Code Section 288, the Greave’s book does instruct and encourage acts of lewd acts with a minor. This code section punishes any kind of sexually motivated touching or molestation of a child under the age of 14 years. Depending on the circumstances, it can be punished as a felony or misdemeanor with punishments ranging from up to one year in county jail to eight years in state prison.
In circumstances in which the victim is older than 14 but still a minor under 18 years of age, California Penal Code Section 243.4 may be applicable because it is a “sexual battery” charge that does not limit itself to a particular age group. It simply alleges that the accused had touched the body of another without consent for sexual arousal or gratification.
A sex crime involving a minor is a serious matter. A conviction will not only bring about a jail sentence, it may also trigger a lifetime obligation to register as a sex offender in California (California Penal Code Section 290). Protect your rights with the aid and assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney. At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys have been in practice for over 30 years and will work diligently to provide you with quality legal services you can trust. Call us today at 877-230-1528 or visit us online at www.wksexcrimes.com. We will be there for you when you call.
