A “sex crime” could refer to a variety of criminal charges under state and federal laws. Sexual battery, molestation, and rape are all considered sex crimes, and the severity of the charge differs based on the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime. If you live in L.A. and have been charged with one of these crimes, sex crime attorneys at Okabe and Haushalter can help you with your case.
Multiple sections of the California Penal Code cover criminal offenses pertaining to sex acts. Sometimes a charge may be covered by more than one part of the state penal code. For example, both Section 261.5 and Section 288 of the California Penal Code describe charges related to sexual acts involving minors, including statutory rape and lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age. Many people who are charged with sex crimes face multiple charges or multiple counts of the same charge.
Penalties for sex crimes vary as much as the charges themselves. Some offenses are misdemeanors and are punishable by moderate fines and less than one year in jail. However, other offenses may be felonious in nature and could mean facing a sentence of 25 years to life in prison, as is the case when a person is charged with having sex with a minor under 10 years of age. Some sex crimes break federal laws, and people convicted of these crimes could face time in a federal prison rather than a state prison—and their sentences could be more serious than for those convicted of only breaking state laws.
Your defense attorney should be an expert in criminal law and know the state and federal laws related to the charges you face. A competent lawyer can assist by being your advocate in court and helping you mount a legal defense customized for the charges you face. At Okabe and Haushalter, we are known for taking an aggressive stance and providing our clients with nothing less than courtroom excellence. We may be able to help you get charges and sentences reduced or thrown out entirely so you can get back to rebuilding your life after facing a sex crime accusation.
Our firm handles all types of sex crimes charges, including:
The manner in which we defend you against charges of sex crimes will depend on a range of factors. These include the specific crime or crimes you’ve been charged with, whether you have a criminal history or record, your relationship with your accuser, and other such factors.
To give you a better sense of the strategies a Pacific Palisades sex crimes attorney might employ when defending a client, the following are some noteworthy examples:
It is extremely important to be honest with your attorney when discussing your case. Don’t make the common mistake of assuming you can lie to your attorney to convince them you are innocent of the crimes you have been charged with. Our Pacific Palisades sex crimes lawyers can only provide you with an effective defense if we receive accurate information from you.
In other words, don’t tell us that someone is lying when they have accused you of sex crimes if in fact there may be truth to their statements. Doing so will only sabotage your case in the long run.
That said, there certainly are instances in which people are charged with sex crimes they did not commit. This may happen if their accusers are lying.
The burden of proof lies with your accuser and their attorneys in these circumstances. You do not technically need to prove that you’re innocent of the crimes you’ve been charged with. Your accuser is the one who must prove they are telling the truth.
Still, if you have been falsely accused of a sex crime, the experts at our Pacific Palisades sex crimes law firm can potentially show that you’re innocent by taking such steps as contacting those who can confirm your alibi, identifying inaccuracies or inconsistencies in your accuser’s story, etc.
Sadly, the victim of a sex crime may be drugged, intoxicated, or unconscious when being taken advantage of. This can prevent them from accurately identifying a guilty party later.
A person who falsely accuses someone of committing a sex crime may not always be intentionally lying. In some cases, victims falsely accuse individuals of sex crimes because they are misremembering the events. Again, in these circumstances, we could help you present a strong alibi showing that you cannot have committed the crimes you are charged with.
Sometimes, a person accused of sexual misconduct or a similar crime might have genuinely had sexual contact with their accuser. Nevertheless, they might still be innocent of the crimes they are charged with if consent was given and the accuser is falsely claiming it was not.
Many factors will influence whether this strategy is effective. The age of the accuser, whether they were able to give consent at the time of the sexual encounter, and other such factors must be accounted for. That said, if you had genuinely consensual sexual relations with your accuser, it may be challenging for them to convince a jury that your sexual encounter was not consensual.
Have you been accused of committing a sex crime in Los Angeles County? Contact the Pacific Palisades sex crime attorneys at Okabe and Haushalter. Our knowledgeable defense attorneys can help you build your case so that your side of the story can be heard in the courtroom. We offer no-cost case assessments and can help weave a solid defense against the charges you are facing. Call today to learn more about how we can put our expertise to work for you.
