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Sex Offenses
What Are Sex Offenses?
Sex offenses is a legal term that encompasses a range of crimes including, but not limited to:
- Lewd and lascivious activities: Lewd and lascivious activities are classified as inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature where the victim is a minor (less than 16 years old in the state of Florida).
- Rape: Rape is sexual intercourse where one party did not consent to the act (whether explicitly or implicitly), or where one party cannot legally give consent (such as a minor, someone declared mentally incompetent, etc).
- Internet sex crimes: Internet sex crimes are sex crimes that occur electronically, or “on the internet.” This includes things like sending explicit images via text, searching for and agreeing to meet up with illegal sex workers or minors for sex, etc.
- Child pornography: Child pornography is defined as explicit content that depicts or involves any person under the age of 18 years old.
- Child molestation: Child molestation includes inappropriately touching a minor on their genitals, breasts, or buttocks (including over the clothing covering these areas).
- Prostitution: Prostitution is the profession of performing sexual acts for monetary remuneration.
- Indecent exposure: Indecent exposure is the displaying of one’s genitals in a public place.
All of these crimes are treated very seriously in the state of Florida, as well as throughout the rest of the United States. Being charged with a sex offense isn’t a joke, and it’s vital to contact a sex offense attorney immediately.
What are the Penalties for Sex Crimes in Florida?
As there are a wide variety of crimes that fall under the umbrella of sex offenses, there is also a range of repercussions. For lesser crimes, such as indecent exposure, penalties often include paying a fine and mandatory probation or community service. For more serious cases, you might be looking at serious jail time, or even mandatory sex offender registration.
What is Mandatory Sex Offender Registration?
Mandatory sex offender registration basically means your name goes on the list of registered sex offenders. Registered sex offenders are not allowed within a certain radius of places where children congregate, such as schools, daycares, playgrounds, children’s hospitals, and more. This can restrict things like employment and housing options, as the job or home cannot be within this predefined radius of such locations.
Additionally, anyone can look up the sex offender registry, which (depending on the state) can include everything from a headshot to your home address.
What are the Defenses Against Sex Offenses?
If you’ve been charged with a sex offense, all hope is not lost. While these sensitive cases can feel like a prison sentence, a truly experienced sex crime attorney will be able to help you plan and mount the best defense against your charges.
Some of the most common arguments used in sex offense cases include:
- Innocence: Whether you were apprehended by mistake, you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, or the entire situation is just one big understanding, you need a lawyer who can ensure your side of the story gets told.
- Alibi: The best defense against any charge is evidence that you couldn’t possibly have committed the crime because you were somewhere else.
- Consent: Many sex offense charges are predicated on the fact that the alleged act was non-consensual. Providing evidence that the encounter did have consent from all parties involved negates the charges.
- Lack of Evidence: In the United States of America, you are considered “innocent until proven guilty.” This means that, in order to be convicted of any crime, the prosecution has to come up with sufficient evidence to prove your guilt. In sex offense cases, there is rarely any evidence aside from the word of the alleged victim.
Hanlon Law: Aggressive Defense Against Serious Sex Crimes
If you are charged with a sex crime in Orlando Florida, it’s imperative to get an attorney involved as soon as possible. At Hanlon Law, our experienced attorneys will help you understand what you’re being accused of and what your options are. We’ll go to work immediately to build an aggressive defense strategy that utilizes every possible weapon in our arsenal. With nearly two decades of experience in handling criminal cases throughout Florida, you can rest assured that at Hanlon Law your case is in the best possible hands.
Contact Hanlon Law today.
We serve clients throughout Florida including those in the following localities: Hernando County including Spring Hill; Hillsborough County including Brandon, Riverview, and Tampa; Pinellas County including Clearwater, Largo, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Seminole, and St. Petersburg; and Pasco County including Dade City, Hudson, and New Port Richey.
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