Child Molestation in Orlando, FL

Child Molestation

Florida Child Molestation Attorneys

Child molestation is considered a tremendously severe offense in Florida. If convicted, punishment can include prison time and lifetime registration as a sexual predator or offender on the Florida state Sex Offender Registry and the National Sex Offender Registry. A conviction for child molestation comes with a severe legal penalty and a societal stigma that will likely ruin your reputation. The best thing you can do if you have been charged or are under investigation for child molestation is to retain legal counsel immediately. 

The lawyers at Hanlon Law have valuable experience defending child molestation cases. We guide our clients through the circumstances they face with our knowledge of the law and insight into local courts and prosecutors with solid strategies to mount your defense. 

What Falls under Child Molestation Charges in Florida? 

A person can be convicted of child molestation if they have been found to: 

• Intentionally touch the breasts, genital area, buttocks, or the clothing covering these areas of a child younger than 16 years old. 
• Force a minor under the age of 16 years old to touch them in these areas 

Criminal offenses involving alleged acts of child molestation can be criminally charged under any of the following crimes: 

• Lewd or lascivious conduct 
• Lewd or lascivious molestation 
• Lewd or lascivious battery 
• Lewd or lascivious exhibition

Consequences of a Child Molestation Conviction in Florida

Child molestation and sexual crimes involving a child under 16 are considered strict liability crimes. In strict liability criminal offenses, the defendant cannot argue that they were unaware of the child's actual age or that the child consented to the act. 

A conviction for the crime of lewd molestation of a minor child is a "life felony," second-degree felony, or third-degree felony. The degree of the charges is determined by the minor's and the perpetrator's age. 

• A life felony includes the lewd molestation of a minor under 12 by a perpetrator over 18. 
• A second-degree felony includes the lewd molestation of a minor under 12 by a person under 18 or of a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 and by an adult over 18. 
• A third-degree felony includes the lewd molestation of a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 by a perpetrator under the age of 18.

If convicted of committing lewd and lascivious battery in the second degree, there is a minimum prison sentence of 34.5 months and but the defendant may also be sentenced to any combination of the following: up 15 years of sex offender probation, up to 15 years in prison, and up to $10,000 in fines. 

Law enforcement and prosecutors use the following guides when determining the severity of the penalties for crimes involving child molestation: 

• If the victim is younger than 12 and the offender is younger than 18, the offense is a second-degree felony, punishable by a minimum of 4.5 years and a maximum of 15 years in prison. 
• Suppose the victim is younger than 12 and the offender is older than 18. In that case, the offense is a life felony, punishable by a minimum of 25 years in prison and probation or community control for the remainder of their life with a maximum sentence of life in prison. 
• If the victim is between the ages of 12 and 16 and the offender is 18 or older, the crime is a second-degree felony, punishable by a minimum of 4.5 years and a maximum of 15 years in prison. 
• If the victim is between the ages of 12 and 16 and the offender is younger than 18, the crime is a third-degree felony, punishable by a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 15 years in prison. 

According to Chapter 943 of the Florida Statutes, a person is not required to register as a sex offender if: 

• The offense involved a consensual sexual encounter with a teenager
• They were convicted of sexual battery or a lewd or lascivious offense 
• The minor was four or fewer years younger than the defendant
• The defendant does not have a history of committing sexual crimes. 

Defenses to Child Molestation Charges 

The most common defense strategy when facing child molestation charges is to attack the allegations. False allegations of child molestation happen due to someone seeking to extort a monetary settlement from you, an angry parent manipulating their child or several other reasons. A defense team must investigate the circumstances involving child molestation accusations to expose all motives for a false allegation. 

Another defense when facing child molestation charges is a lack of lewd intent. 

If your arrest involved forensic investigation errors, Miranda rights violations, or denial of the right to counsel, the state's evidence against you could be dismissed or suppressed. 

What to Expect When Hiring Hanlon Law

Hanlon law provides dedication and experience in mounting the most aggressive defense possible. A detailed investigation will be conducted into the events leading up to your charges. A private investigator and a child psychologist will help your lawyer review the evidence against you and the victim and witness statements to uncover essential information to mount your defense.

We look for conflicting victim statements, evidence that the child is being pressured to make false accusations, and inconsistencies in the evidence. The information discovered will be used to pressure the prosecution to dismiss or reduce your charges or prove your innocence in court.

Contact Hanlon Law to schedule a consultation to discuss your charges and hire an Orlando child molestation attorney.

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Practice Areas

Sex Offenses

• Child Molestation
• Child Pornography
• Indecent Exposure
• Internet Sex Crimes
• Lewd and Lascivious Sex Crimes
• Pre-filing of Sex Charges
• Prostitution
• Rape Defense
• Romeo and Juliet Law
• Sex Crimes Attorney and Minors
• Sexual Harassment
• Sexual Predator Law

Federal Sex Crimes

Florida Sex Crimes

Drug Charges

Violent Crimes