Sex Crimes Attorney in York, Pennsylvania
Being accused of a sexual offense in Pennsylvania can be enough to ruin your reputation, make it challenging to get a job, or distance you from society. If you’re convicted of a sex crime, the harsh punishments can land you in jail and force you to register as a Pennsylvania sex offender for the rest of your life.
If you’ve been accused of a sex crime, whether it’s rape, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, possession of child pornography or indecent exposure, you need to hire a York, Pa., sex crime attorney who can help you avoid life-changing penalties.
What Do I Do if I’ve Been Accused of A Sex Crime?
As soon as a police officer, attorney or anyone else starts to ask you questions about a sex crime, you need to call a Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyer right away. Even if you feel you haven’t done anything wrong, you shouldn’t answer any questions without a sex crime lawyer who can help protect your rights.
Types of Sex Crimes
These are just some of the sex crimes you could be charged with and that a York, Pa., attorney can help you fight:
Rape: A first-degree felony, rape is when the accused forces another person to have sexual intercourse against his or her will. This can include physical force or threatening to force a person into vaginal, anal, or oral sex acts.
Rape also can be committed when a person is unable to give consent because they are drugged, unconscious, or mentally disabled. It also can include penetration with objects, although charges related to that sex crime can be called “involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.” Penalties can include up to 20 years in prison and fines.
Statutory Sexual Assault: A person commits a felony of the second degree when the person engages in sexual intercourse with a victim to whom the person is not married who is younger than 16 years old and that person is either:
Four years older but less than eight years older than the victim; or
Eight years older but less than 11 years older than the victim.
It is a felony of the first degree if that person engages in sexual intercourse with a victim younger than 16 years old and that person is 11 or more years older than the victim and the victim and the person are not married to each other.
Aggravated Indecent Assault: An aggravated indecent assault charge, which involves penetration of the anus or genitals without consent, could come with a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Aggravated indecent assault on a child could result in up to 20 years in prison.
Indecent Exposure: A misdemeanor of the second degree, indecent exposure charges can lead to up to two years in prison. If the accused exposes himself or herself to someone younger than 16, the charge bumps up to a first-degree misdemeanor and up to five years in prison.
Megan’s Law and Sorna Violations: A person previously convicted of a sex crime in Pennsylvania has to register as a Megan’s Law offender, also known as the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act. If you fail to follow sex offender registration requirements, you could face a felony charge and jail time.
There are certain registration tiers listed under SORNA.
Tier I offenses, which include unlawful restraint, corruption of minors, and sexual abuse of children, require a 15-year registration.
Tier II offenses, which include statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and sexual exploitation of children, require a 25-year registration.
Tier III offenses include kidnapping, rape, and incest, among other possible convictions. This requires a lifetime registration, as well as in-person registration every three months for sexually violent predators.
Call a Sex Crimes Attorney to Defend Your Case
You don’t have to face accusations about sex crimes on your own. Contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to help defend your case and protect your rights. Call Korey Leslie Attorney-at-Law to schedule your free initial consultation.