Florida Statute 847.0138 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 847
OBSCENITY

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F.S. 847.0138

847.0138 Transmission of material harmful to minors to a minor by electronic device or equipment prohibited; penalties.—

(1) For purposes of this section:

(a) “Known by the defendant to be a minor” means that the defendant had actual knowledge or believed that the recipient of the communication was a minor.

(b) “Transmit” means to send to a specific individual known by the defendant to be a minor via electronic mail.

(2) Notwithstanding ss. 847.012 and 847.0133, any person who knew or believed that he or she was transmitting an image, information, or data that is harmful to minors, as defined in s. 847.001, to a specific individual known by the defendant to be a minor commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) Notwithstanding ss. 847.012 and 847.0133, any person in any jurisdiction other than this state who knew or believed that he or she was transmitting an image, information, or data that is harmful to minors, as defined in s. 847.001, to a specific individual known by the defendant to be a minor commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

The provisions of this section do not apply to subscription-based transmissions such as list servers.

History.—s. 5, ch. 2001-54; s. 8, ch. 2009-194.

F.S. 847.0138 on Google Scholar

F.S. 847.0138 on Casetext

Amendments to 847.0138

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 847.0138

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

S847.0138 2 - CRUELTY TOWARD CHILD - RENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9481 - F: T

S847.0138 2 - OBSCENE MATERIAL-DISTRIB - TRANSMIT INFO HARMFUL TO MINORS - F: T

S847.0138 3 - CRUELTY TOWARD CHILD - RENUMBERED. SEE REC # 9482 - F: T

S847.0138 3 - OBSCENE MATERIAL-DISTRIB - OUT OF STATE TRANSMIT INFO HARMFUL TO MINORS - F: T

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 847.0138

Total Results: 20

STATE OF FLORIDA v. ANDREW SCOTT CROSE

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2024-01-26T00:00:00-08:00

Snippet: excluding s. 847.0135(6); s. 847.0137; s. 847.0138; s. 847.0145; . . . or any similar offense

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases - Report 2019-11

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2020-02-26T23:53:00-08:00

Snippet: DEVICE OR EQUIPMENT § 847.0138(2), Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Transmission… TO MINORS BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR EQUIPMENT — 847.0138(2) CATEGORY ONE CATEGORY TWO FLA. STAT

STEVEN LEIF ALEXANDER, JR. v. STATE OF FLORIDA

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2020-01-28T23:53:00-08:00

Snippet: electronic device or equipment, a violation of section 847.0138(2), Florida Statutes (2017). The statute proscribes…commits a felony of the third degree .... § 847.0138(2), Fla. Stat. Section 847.001(6), Florida Statutes…decision of the First District declaring section 847.0138 to be a valid statute after it was attacked by…that the standard jury instruction for section 847.0138 instructs the jury that: A “prurient interest

JOSEPH WEITZ v. STATE OF FLORIDA

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2019-05-31T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: harmful to minors via electronic mail, see § 847.0138(2), Fla. Stat. (2011), violate double jeopardy…Nothing in either section 934.215 or in section 847.0138(2) explicitly authorizes multiple punishments…1980))). The elements of section 847.0138(2) are that the defendant (1) knowingly sent … to anyone via any mechanism,2 and so section 847.0138(2) requires proof of multiple elements that section…934.215 are subsumed by the elements of section 847.0138(2). That exception "applies only to necessarily

Danny Pasicolan v. State of Florida

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2019-05-02T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: material harmful to minors, contrary to section 847.0138(2), Florida Statutes (2013) (Count III); and one

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases-Report 2018-04.

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2018-11-15T00:00:00-08:00

Citation: 257 So. 3d 370

Snippet: MINORS BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR EQUIPMENT § 847.0138(2), Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Transmission… TO MINORS BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR EQUIPMENT - 847.0138(2) CATEGORY ONE CATEGORY TWO FLA. STAT. INS. NO

DAVID JOHN JONES v. STATE OF FLORIDA

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2018-07-13T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: minors (count three), in violation of section 847.0138(2), Florida Statutes (2012). He was sentenced

Scott Brown v. State of Florida

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2018-02-18T23:53:00-08:00

Snippet: ’s judgment and sentence for violating section 847.0138(2), Florida Statutes (2014), because the trial…amending the standard jury instruction for section 847.0138(2)—see Std. Jury Instr. (Crim.) 11.21—to define…harmful to minors”—which is the crux of section 847.0138(2)—and, even if it is not absolutely necessary

BRODERICK CAMERON FURLOW v. STATE OF FLORIDA

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2018-02-01T23:53:00-08:00

Snippet: violation of section 847.0138(2), nor did it seek a jury instruction based on section 847.0138(2). And the State…transmission of material harmful to a minor under section 847.0138(2). See, e.g., Duclos-Lasnier v. State, 192 So… (Fla. 1st DCA 2004) (explaining that section 847.0138 "pertains to harmful images . . . sent to

Weitz v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2017-10-25T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 229 So. 3d 872

Snippet: transmitting material harmful to minors under section 847.0138, Florida Statutes (2012), and unlawfully using…harmful material to a minor in violation of section 847.0138, the question of whether the statutory elements…defendant to be a minor via electronic mail.” § 847.0138(1)(b) (emphasis added). Although we have held

Danny Pasicolan v. State of Florida

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2017-08-27T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: material harmful to minors, contrary to section 847.0138(2), Florida Statutes (2013) (Count III); and

Gosling v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2016-11-30T00:00:00-08:00

Citation: 205 So. 3d 860

Snippet: 847.0135, excluding s. 847.0135(6); s. 847.0137; s. 847.0138; s. 847.0145; s. 916.1075(2); or s. 985.701(1)

Duncan Jason Smith v. State of Florida

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2016-09-08T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 204 So. 3d 18

Snippet: ) with the definition of “transmit” in section 847.0138(l)(b). 2 Id. Thus, the Fourth…procedurally barred. 2 . Section 847.0138 prohibits "[t]ransmission of material harmful…defendant to be a minor via electronic mail.” § 847.0138(l)(b), Fla. Stat (2010). SC15-782

Senger v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2016-05-27T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 200 So. 3d 137

Snippet: 847.0135, excluding s. 847.0135(6); s. 847.0137; s. 847.0138; s. 847.0145; or s. 985.701(1).... § 943.0435(

Duclos-Lasnier v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2016-05-27T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 192 So. 3d 1234

Snippet: photos sent as text messages do not violate section 847.0138(2), Florida Statutes (2012), the statute, under… be a minor via electronic mail.” § 847.0138(1)(b) (emphasis added). However, the statute does…s], information, [and] data.” See § 847.0138(3) (defining the offense as “transmitting an image…device or equipment prohibited; penalties.” § 847.0138 (emphasis added). The Florida Supreme Court has…texting a harmful image to a minor violates section 847.0138. Finally, Duclos-Lasnier argues on appeal

Ramon D. Senger v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2016-05-23T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: s. 847.0135(6); s. 847.0137; s. 847.0138; s. 847.0145; or s. 985.701(1) .

Duclos-Lasnier v. State

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2016-04-01T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: sent as text messages do not violate section 847.0138(2), Florida Statutes (2012), the statute under…defendant to be a minor via electronic mail." § 847.0138(1)(b) (emphasis added). However, the statute …image[s], information, [and] data." See § 847.0138(2) (defining the offense as "transmitting…device or equipment prohibited; penalties." § 847.0138 (emphasis added). The Florida Supreme Court has…texting a harmful image to a minor violates section 847.0138. Finally, Duclos-Lasnier argues

State of Florida v. Adonis Losada

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2015-09-24T00:53:00-07:00

Snippet: test by Florida courts when it enacted section 847.0138 in 2001. It seems clear the Legislature intended…instead of “any image”) when it enacted section 847.0138. Allen, 82 So. 3d at 121-22. In Allen, while …test is not dispositive, we applied it to section 847.0138, Florida Statutes (2001), …application of the “a/any” test when it enacted section 847.0138, it seemed clear that the Legislature intended…were enacted in 2001, the same year that section 847.0138 was enacted, subsequent to Schmitt and the legislative

State of Florida v. Adonis Losada

Court: Fla. Dist. Ct. App. | Date Filed: 2015-09-24T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 175 So. 3d 911

Snippet: test by Florida courts when it enacted section 847.0138 in 2001. It seems clear the Legislature intended…instead of “any image”) when it enacted section 847.0138. Allen, 82 So.3d at 121-22. In Alien… is not disposi-tive, we applied it to section 847.0138, Florida Statutes (2001), which prohibits the …application of the “a/any” test when it enacted section 847.0138, it seemed clear that the Legislature intended…were enacted in 2001, the same year that section 847.0138 was enacted, subsequent to Schmitt

In Re STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES—REPORT NO. 2014-07

Court: Fla. | Date Filed: 2015-04-30T00:00:00-07:00

Citation: 163 So. 3d 478

Snippet: MINORS BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE OR EQUIPMENT § 847.0138(2), Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Transmission