Sex Crime Lawyer

Sex crime convictions carry particularly harsh punishments and can haunt a person for the rest of his or her life. Sex crimes include rape, statutory rape, lewd and lascivious crimes, Internet sex crimes, sexting, child pornography, and prostitution. The most severe prison sentences are imposed on people convicted of sexual battery, or rape. If you are charged with a sex crime, it is critical to retain a Bradenton sex crime lawyer who has experience defending people facing these serious charges. At Hanlon Law, we fight tenaciously for the rights of the accused.

Sanctions for sex crimes vary. However, the more serious the crime, the more likely it is that you will face a prison term even as a first offender. The lewd and lascivious offenses are taken very seriously, for example, since they involve minors. There are four lewd and lascivious offenses: lewd and lascivious battery, lewd and lascivious molestation, lewd and lascivious conduct, and lewd and lascivious exhibition. If you are convicted of lewd and lascivious battery, you may face up to 15 years in prison with at least seven years on probation. Other crimes that may be charged in connection with sexual misconduct with minors are child pornography, traveling to meet a minor, or sexting.

Florida Statute section 794.011 provides that sexual battery occurs if you have nonconsensual vaginal, anal, or oral contact with someone else by using a sex organ or an object. Aggravated sexual battery is sexual battery that occurs with an aggravating circumstance, such as a victim who is exploited because of a known mental defect, a victim who is physically incapacitated, or a victim who is physically not able to resist. If you are charged with rape or sexual battery, there is a potential sentence of life imprisonment, depending on the victim and the circumstances. As a result, you should contact an experienced sex crime attorney in Bradenton to make sure that all of your options are explored. Generally, someone sentenced to prison for sexual battery is required to serve the whole sentence. The court determines penalties based on your age, the victim’s age, and the existence of aggravating circumstances.

Statutory rape in Florida is charged as lewd and lascivious battery, a second-degree felony. You may face up to 15 years in prison, with a minimum of five years in prison. Florida Statute 800.04(4) provides that lewd and lascivious battery happens if you get involved in sexual activity with a child who is 12-16 or encourage or force a child who is 12-16 to be involved in bestiality, prostitution, S&M, or any other sexual activity. It is important to realize that consent or ignorance of the child’s age is not a defense for any of the lewd and lascivious crimes.

If you are convicted of a sex crime that is charged as a felony, you can be declared a sex offender and be required to comply with registration laws not only in Florida but also throughout the country. A Bradenton sex crime attorney can help you try to avoid this harsh penalty. On top of a mandatory prison term, you will also be put on sex offender probation. This type of probation comes with certain restrictions about where you may live and where you can work. It requires you to obey a curfew and mandates that you attend sex offender counseling. Some people can petition the court to remove the mandate that they register as sex offenders under Florida Statute section 943.04354. You may be eligible to petition if you only have one conviction requiring you to register as a sex offender or sex predator, and it is for a lewd and lascivious crime, computer porn, or sexual performance by a child. You are only eligible if you are not more than four years older than the victim, and the victim was between the ages of 13 and 18 at the time of the crime.

Sex charges are punished harshly and carry with them a serious stigma. If you have been charged with a sex crime, you should retain a lawyer who has experience handling these complex cases. Our founder, Will Hanlon, has aggressively and knowledgeably represented the accused since 1994. You can call Hanlon Law at 941.253.0254 or contact us through our online form.