Howard County Sex Crimes Lawyer

A sex crime is an overarching term that can count as anything related to acts against another person that are sexual in nature, either through touching or other invasions of another’s body. Getting charged with a sex crime is extremely serious and can lead to devastating results. Finding the right Howard County sex crime lawyer is important and an experienced attorney can help you build and craft a case.

Types of Offenses

There are sex offense crimes in the first, second, third and fourth degree and rape in various degrees. A rape requires penetration with the genitals and a sex offense could be just grabbing someone outside the clothes, up to a higher degree which would be using the fingers, hands or other appendages to invade somebody’s private area.

Some examples of lower degrees would be when an individual is at a bar or a club and gropes another individual, or touching underneath their clothing. A more serious charge such as rape is a first or lower degree depending on the nature and circumstances.

Second Degree Rape occurs when a female is so intoxicated and impaired she cannot consent or understand what is happening and the man believed it to be consensual sex.

Aspects of Facing Sex Crimes Charges

For a number of reasons, but most importantly is the very incendiary nature of a charge of that offense. Sex crimes are very discomforting and unnerving for people to hear about, and very disparaging. This creates a lot of animosity toward individuals just by virtue of being charged with the offense.

Rape is difficult to challenge and has other repercussions. If someone is convicted of a sex crime, they can be punished in the sex offender registry and have repercussions for 10, 20 or 30 years later for a charge, making it important for a Howard County sex crimes lawyer.

Sex Crime Penalties

The penalties for a sex crime in Howard County really vary based on what someone is getting charged with. The Sex Offender Registry, there are the three following tiers:

The Sex Offender Registry

When you have committed a sex crime, often you will have to register yourself on The Sex Offender Registry. It is a list compiled of people in your area who have committed a sex crime. Here are the following tier levels:

Tier One

This is considered a lower level offense but can carry up to a 15-year registration requirement.

Tier Two

A tier two offense carries a 25-year registration requirement. The sex crime committed is serious and can be punishable by up to one year in prison.

Tier Three

A tier three offense is a much more serious crime and holds a lifetime registration requirement.

Felony and Misdemeanor Sex Crime Charges

The only misdemeanor is a Fourth Degree Sex Offense which carries up to one year in jail and a fine of $1,000.00. Every other sex crime is a felony.

The third, second and even First Degree Sex Offense carry far more incarceration, e.g., a Third Degree Sex Offense is a felony that carries up to 10 years in jail; a Second Degree Sex Offense is a felony and carries up to 20 years in jail; and then the First Degree Sex Offense, the most serious, a felony, can carry up to life imprisonment.

Felonies also include rape in the second degree and rape in the first degree. Rape in the second degree carries up to 20 years’ incarceration and rape in the first degree carries up to life.

Investigations

It is not uncommon for an individual to come forth as the victim of an event that occurred a long time ago, even years ago. Additionally, it is difficult to recreate things so many years later a lot of the evidence is no longer available. It has been destroyed, lost, forgotten and memories fade. The case would rely upon eye witness accounts and it is all based on their testimony. Rape rarely has witnesses as they are committed in isolated locations.

Sexual Battery

There is no such crime as sexual battery. There is Fourth Degree Sex Offense, rape, and attempted rape, as well as unusual or rarely seen sex offense charges such as incest and sodomy. There are unnatural, perverted sexual practices known as sexual solicitation of a minor and attempted solicitation of a minor. These acts are discovered through an undercover sting when an adult is trying to pick up who they think is an underage male or female but in essence is a law enforcement officer posing.

Role of a Howard County Sex Crimes Lawyer

An experienced Howard County sex crimes attorney, in any situation, is a guide. When it comes to sex crimes, the attorney can help the defendant address all accusations; do a full analysis of the evidence; speak to witnesses; and hire private investigators or experts if need be to fully defend whatever the allegation or charge is. The experienced sex crimes attorney in Howard County knows what steps to take, what measures to follow, and whatever needs to be done to properly defend the case.

Client-Attorney Relationship

Trust is very important. If the client does not provide the attorney with all the information, then the attorney cannot properly represent the client. Even if some of the issues and facts; the truth is not ideal and could be problematic if a jury found out, this is nonetheless privileged and designed to allow the attorney to know the truth so he can best defend it and how to challenge the prosecutor’s evidence to make sure they properly represent the defendant in a trial to obtain an acquittal.