(a)

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class B felony8 to 30 yearsup to $25,000
class C felony3 to 15 yearsup to $10,000
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-17-1004

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Material: means :
    (A) Any picture, drawing, photograph, undeveloped film or film negative, motion picture film, videocassette tape or other pictorial representation. See Tennessee Code 39-17-1002
  • Minor: means any person who has not reached eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 39-17-1002
  • Patently offensive: means that which goes substantially beyond customary limits of candor in describing or representing such matters. See Tennessee Code 39-17-1002
  • Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Promote: means to finance, produce, direct, manufacture, issue, publish, exhibit or advertise, or to offer or agree to do those things. See Tennessee Code 39-17-1002
  • Sexual activity: means any of the following acts:
    (A) Vaginal, anal or oral intercourse, whether done with another person or an animal. See Tennessee Code 39-17-1002
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(1) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly promote, sell, distribute, transport, purchase or exchange material, or possess with the intent to promote, sell, distribute, transport, purchase or exchange material, that includes a minor engaged in:

(A) Sexual activity; or
(B) Simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive.
(2) A person who violates subdivision (a)(1) may be charged in a separate count for each individual image, picture, drawing, photograph, motion picture film, videocassette tape, or other pictorial representation. Where the number of materials involved in a violation under subdivision (a)(1) is greater than twenty-five (25), the person may be charged in a single count to enhance the class of offense under subdivision (a)(4).
(3) In a prosecution under this section, the trier of fact may consider the title, text, visual representation, internet history, physical development of the person depicted, expert medical testimony, expert computer forensic testimony, and any other relevant evidence, in determining whether a person knowingly promoted, sold, distributed, transported, purchased, exchanged or possessed the material for these purposes, or in determining whether the material or image otherwise represents or depicts that a participant is a minor.
(4) A violation of this section is a Class C felony; however, if the number of individual images, materials, or combination of images and materials that are promoted, sold, distributed, transported, purchased, exchanged or possessed, with intent to promote, sell, distribute, transport, purchase or exchange, is more than twenty-five (25), then the offense shall be a Class B felony.
(b)

(1) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly promote, sell, distribute, transport, purchase or exchange material that is obscene, as defined in § 39-17-901, or possess material that is obscene, with the intent to promote, sell, distribute, transport, purchase or exchange the material, which includes a minor engaged in:

(A) Sexual activity; or
(B) Simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive.
(2) A person who violates subdivision (b)(1) may be charged in a separate count for each individual image, picture, drawing, photograph, motion picture film, videocassette tape, or other pictorial representation. Where the number of materials involved in a violation under subdivision (b)(1) is greater than twenty-five (25), the person may be charged in a single count to enhance the class of offense under subdivision (b)(4).
(3) In a prosecution under this section, the trier of fact may consider the title, text, visual representation, internet history, physical development of the person depicted, expert medical testimony, expert computer forensic testimony, and any other relevant evidence, in determining whether a person knowingly promoted, sold, distributed, transported, purchased, exchanged or possessed the material for these purposes, or in determining whether the material or image otherwise represents or depicts that a participant is a minor.
(4) A violation of this section is a Class C felony; however, if the number of individual images, materials, or combination of images and materials, that are promoted, sold, distributed, transported, purchased, exchanged or possessed, with intent to promote, sell, distribute, transport, purchase or exchange, is more than twenty-five (25), then the offense shall be a Class B felony.
(c) In a prosecution under this section, the state is not required to prove the actual identity or age of the minor.
(d) A person is subject to prosecution in this state under this section for any conduct that originates in this state, or for any conduct that originates by a person located outside this state, where the person promoted, sold, distributed, transported, purchased, exchanged or possessed, with intent to promote, sell, distribute, transport, purchase or exchange material within this state.
(e) It shall not be a defense to a violation of subsection (a) that the minor victim of the offense consented to the conduct that constituted the offense.
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