Sex Offenses
Sex Offense Defense Attorneys in Dallas, TX
Sex offenses are among the worst crimes to be charged with. If convicted of a sex offense, you could suffer many negative and lifelong consequences. Many sex offenses come with sex offender registration attached, and you could spend time in prison. In addition, many sex offenders will have to abide by a lifetime protective order.
You may struggle to secure employment, because most employers do not allow sex offenders in their place of employment. Some types of careers will be forever barred too you if you are convicted of a sex crime. For instance, you will never be allowed to work with children or become a teacher.
If you are facing a sex crime, you should speak with a sex crime defense lawyer right away. Everyone is entitled to a defense, and you need legal support during this difficult time.
Examples of Sex Crimes
There are different types of sex offenses, and each one is treated differently in terms of penalties and how you will be viewed by society. Some sex crimes are misdemeanors, while others are serious felonies. Each crime can cause upset in your life, but some will affect you more than others.
For instance, if you commit certain types of sex offenses, you will be required to register as a sex offender for life. For other sex crimes, you will not be required to register, but you still will suffer some penalties and consequences, if convicted. Your sex offense defense lawyer wants to see you avoid any negative consequences by avoiding conviction.
Listed Below Are Some Common Sex Offenses in Texas, as Well as the Legal Penalties Associated With Each Crime
- Public Lewdness — Class A misdemeanor; up to one year in jail and a fine.
- Indecent Exposure — Class B misdemeanor; up to 180 days in jail and a fine.
- Indecency With a Child — Second-degree felony; two to 20 years in prison and a fine.
- Improper Relationship Between Educator and Student — Second-degree felony; two to 20 years in prison.
- Invasive Visual Recording — State jail felony; 180 days to two years in jail.
- Voyeurism — Class C misdemeanor with no jail time, but a state jail felony if the victim is a child younger than 14 years.
- Revenge Porn — This type of harassment is a Class C misdemeanor.
- Sexual Coercion — State jail felony, or third-degree felony for a repeat offense.
- Sexual Assault (Rape) — Second-degree felony; two to 20 years in prison.
- Indecent Assault — Class A misdemeanor; up to one year in jail.
- Aggravated Sexual Assault — First-degree felony; five to 99 years in prison.
- Prohibited Sexual Conduct (Incest) — Depending on the family relationship, either a third-degree or second-degree felony.
- Possession or Promotion of Child Pornography — Third or second-degree felony
- Promotion of Prostitution — Third-degree felony for the first offense; second-degree for a subsequent offense; first-degree if the act involves a minor.
- Bestiality — State jail felony, but a second-degree felony if the animal is seriously injured or dies.
- Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child – This offense is a felony of the first degree, punished by life in prison or between twenty-five and ninety-nine years.
How Sex Crimes Impact Your Life
In addition to incarceration, defendants charged with these crimes face heavy fines and may have to register as sex offenders with the Texas Department of Public Safety for at least 10 years and sometimes for life, depending upon the level of risk of a repeat offense. The sex offender registry is publicly accessible and can result in an individual being denied employment, housing, and educational opportunities. If convicted of a serious sex offense, you will probably spend a large amount of time in prison. Even if you are convicted of a crime and receive a shorter prison or jail term, your life will still be impacted. Here are some of the ways a sex crime can negatively impact you for life.
- Most sex offenses will require you to register in your neighborhood. You also will not be permitted to live near schools, parks, and other places where children congregate. You will probably be barred from living in certain areas altogether.
- Your job prospects will be severely limited. Very few employers will allow a sex offender to work at their office or workplace. Even if you can find a job, the pay might greatly reduce your financial status.
- Your family will likely suffer extreme embarrassment over your crime, and you could lose relationships completely. For instance, if you’re married and convicted of a sex crime, your spouse might leave you.
- Other family members might not want anything to do with you, or they might not want you around their children. Your sex offense might even ban you from having any unsupervised contact with minors.
As you can see, the consequences for a sex offense conviction in Texas are severe. Your sex offense lawyer will do everything imaginable to help you reach the best possible outcome in your case. In some cases, a dismissal might be possible, and in other cases, the best you can receive is a reduced charge. Nevertheless, your outlook is better when you have legal representation than if you try to fight a sex crime on your own.
Possible Defenses
The defenses available to you will depend on the circumstances of your criminal case.
For instance, if you are accused of sexual assault, there are some defenses you could use. You could argue that you had consent from the person claiming that you sexually assaulted them.
Another defense against a conviction of sexual assault is that you did not commit the crime at all. It is not unheard of for people to try to get others in trouble and claim that something occurred when it did not actually happen.
Finally, you could use the defense that you were not mentally sound at the time of the offense. Depending on the case, this could get the charge dropped, if you can prove the mental instability. This defense may also be used to receive a reduced charge for the sexual assault.
For sexual abuse concerning a child, you could argue the defense of “taint.” This defense refers to the fact that children can be easily led to provide an answer that the prosecutor, police, or parents are looking for. The child can be convinced to answer yes when the true answer is no.
It is even possible to supplant memories into a child’s subconscious suggestively. For instance, many children have false memories of events that their parents have described to them, but they may not actually remember the events at all. They cannot tell the difference between the false memory and a real one.
Mistaken identity is a common defense in sex crime cases. It’s very easy to get people confused, and one person could be accused of a crime they did not commit.
In some cases, a rape may occur late at night, the assailant could be masked, or the victim’s memory could be faulty because of the trauma of the experience. They could easily confuse people who look alike, or they could simply accuse the wrong person entirely for some other reason.
There are defenses against conviction of sex crime cases, so do not give up your life without at least talking with a sex offense attorney first.
Let the Law Office of Olegario Estrada, P.C. help you with your charges.
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