Child & Intimacy Crimes:
What Every Family Should Know
A candid guide from Arizona trial attorneys with over three decades of combined experience in sex crimes, child crimes, and intimacy offenses.
"Our goal is not just to educate people, but to provide information that puts families in a better position — and hopefully, one day, to put ourselves out of business."
Two Attorneys. Two Perspectives. One Goal.
Matt Long of Long & Simmons has spent more than a decade in private practice after serving as a prosecutor in sex crimes, child crimes, and computer crimes divisions. Aaron Reed of Cates & Reed has been a respected voice in criminal defense for years, specializing in exactly the kinds of sensitive cases most attorneys avoid.
Both are Arizona trial attorneys. Both are fathers. And both believe that educating families about child and intimacy crimes is one of the most important things they can do — not just as lawyers, but as members of this community.
Matt Long
A criminal defense attorney and nationally recognized expert in child and intimacy crimes, Matt provides training to law enforcement agencies and professionals across the country on best practices in investigations and trial presentations. A former prosecutor in sex crimes, child crimes, and computer crimes, he brings over 20 years of experience to Arizona's most sensitive criminal cases — first for the state, now he seeks justice, protects the rights of his clients, and holds law enforcement accountable.
Aaron Reed
Criminal defense attorney focused on child and intimacy crimes. Trained under some of Arizona's most experienced defense lawyers, Aaron approaches every case with the belief that the truth matters — and that finding it is always the goal.
Why Defense Attorneys Take These Cases
The question both attorneys hear most often — sometimes in genuine curiosity, sometimes with contempt — is: How can you defend people accused of these crimes?
The answer is straightforward: the justice system only works when everyone in it does their job rigorously. A defense attorney's role is not to excuse wrongdoing. It is to ensure the government proves its case with real evidence, conducted through proper investigation, presented fairly.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors are not truly on "opposite sides." Both are trying to determine what actually happened. The difference is who bears the burden — and that burden must be earned, not assumed.
When police fail to investigate thoroughly, when prosecutors rely on accusations rather than evidence, and when investigators skip the hard work of corroborating witness statements — the system fails everyone. It fails the accused, and it fails the victims who deserve a case that will hold up.
When police don't do their job, they fail both sides — the accused and the complaining witness. Due process is about identifying evidence, obtaining it, and presenting it.— Matt Long, Long & Simmons Law
Understanding False and Erroneous Allegations
It is not controversial to state — it is simply true — that false allegations exist. Acknowledging this fact is not the same as dismissing victims. It is the foundation of any honest legal system.
There are two distinct types worth understanding:
One example: a complaining witness describes being "raped." Upon careful, patient questioning, both parties describe the same encounter — with a shared agreement on one act, but a serious miscommunication about boundaries at a specific moment. The violation was real to her. His understanding was genuinely different. These situations require precision, not assumptions.
Getting specific with language is one of the most important tools in any serious investigation. Conclusory terms like "rape" or "assault" carry powerful meaning — but without specific details (what act, where, in what context), they cannot support a prosecution that will stand up and deliver justice.
Telegram, Encrypted Apps & Online Predation
A recent CNN investigation highlighted what attorneys in this field already know: encrypted messaging platforms — particularly Telegram — have become significant vectors for the trafficking of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and other contraband.
These platforms operate in closed group environments where access is granted only when a new member contributes their own illicit material. This is a "pay to play" model that ensnares participants in criminal liability the moment they seek entry.
This is not a situation where contraband simply "appears" on someone's device uninvited. In nearly all real-world cases, accessing these groups involves active, deliberate choices. If you stumble into a group sharing illegal material, the right response is to exit immediately and, if appropriate, report what you encountered.
Social platforms — from Snapchat to Instagram to Telegram — can be used constructively or destructively. Monitoring your child's digital activity isn't about distrust; it's about safety. Exposure to graphic or exploitative material online is a genuine risk with real psychological consequences.
Practical Tools to Help Protect Your Children
The attorneys share a simple but powerful framework for teaching children to recognize and report inappropriate contact — built around one key distinction.
Secrets vs. Surprises
Teach your children there are no permanent secrets — only surprises that everyone eventually gets to share. Surprises (like birthday gifts) are joyful and temporary. Secrets that must be kept forever from parents are a red flag.
Open Emotional Communication
Children should always know they are safe to share whatever they think and feel with their parents — without judgment or punishment. A child who trusts a parent to receive hard news is a child who will report harm.
Prepare Early
You don't need to wait until children are teenagers to have age-appropriate conversations about bodies, boundaries, and the difference between private and public behavior. Early, calm, matter-of-fact education is the most protective tool available.
Make "Telling" Normal
A child who has practiced telling their parents uncomfortable things is far less likely to stay silent when something serious happens. Create regular, low-stakes conversations so that the path to you is already well-worn when it matters most.
A child raised to understand that no secret should be kept permanently from a trusted adult is a child who is significantly harder to groom. Predators rely on secrecy. Remove that tool and you remove much of their power.
What a Thorough Investigation Looks Like
When police do their job well in these cases, they build what Matt Long calls a "wall of evidence" around the facts. A complaining witness's statement is the beginning of an investigation — not the end of one.
Proper investigations in child and intimacy crimes include:
When investigations are thorough and evidence is gathered properly, the system works as it should.
We work in tragedy. And our deepest goal is to provide information that one day puts us out of business — because these crimes no longer exist.— Aaron Reed & Matt Long
If You or Someone You Know Needs Guidance
Navigating an accusation — or supporting a family member through one — is one of the most disorienting experiences a person can face. The stakes are high. The systems are complex. And most people have no idea where to start.
Whether you're facing an investigation, have been charged, or simply have questions about how these cases work in Arizona, reaching out early makes a significant difference. You do not need to navigate this alone.
Matt Long and Aaron Reed work together and alongside their respective firms to ensure clients get the best information and representation possible — from attorneys who understand both sides of these cases at the highest level.
Speak With an Attorney Today
Confidential consultations available. We represent clients throughout Arizona in child and intimacy crime cases at all stages — investigation through trial.
