Being charged with or convicted of a sex crime can disrupt and ruin every aspect of a person’s life. Pursuant to Alabama law, “sex crimes” is a general term. It essentially refers to any criminal charge involving sexual activity that is brought against a person. This definition includes rape, child sexual abuse and molestation, prostitution, indecent exposure, and other related sexual offenses.
If you have been charged with a Baldwin County sex crime, you are likely going to be fighting an uphill battle. Given the public’s extremely negative perception of sex offenders and child molesters, the odds of finding sympathy from a judge or jury in a sex offense case are minimal to none. As such, the importance of having a skilled and knowledgeable Baldwin County sex crimes lawyer on your side throughout your case cannot be understated.
It is important to note that in a sex crimes case – as in any criminal case – you always have rights under the law. A criminal defense attorney will be able to safeguard your legal and constitutional rights, and can help you with formulating a legal defense to your charge and/or with deciding whether or not to accept a plea deal offered by the State. A lawyer may also be able to help you obtain a penalty reduction upon conviction.
Attempted Sexual MisconductSex crimes in Baldwin County also include attempted sexual misconduct arising out of police internet “stings” that do not involve real people. Some examples of charges commonly associated with these internet stings include the following:
Being charged with or convicted of a sex crime can severely limit a person’s reputation, liberty, associations, and living arrangements. These charges and convictions are sure to affect every aspect of the defendant’s life.
In this age of frequent criminal background checks and easy access to online information, a sex crime conviction can make it difficult – if not impossible – to do any of the following:
The state of Alabama imposes very harsh penalties on felony sex crime convictions. Penalties can range in severity, depending upon the nature of the charge, and can extend up to a life-prison sentence. A convicted sex offender will usually have to register for the national and/or state sex offender registries.
This also requires that the defendant’s picture be posted online. Since these are lifetime registries, the criminal defendant’s sex offender profile will remain online forever.
How a Baldwin County Sex Crimes Attorney Can HelpYou should always speak with a criminal defense lawyer in Baldwin County before doing any of the following:
Anything that you say to a police officer or detective can be used against you in a negative way. You have a constitutional right to speak with legal counsel before answering any questions, and you have an absolute right to legal representation at all stages of your criminal case.
You should feel free to contact a Baldwin County sex crimes lawyer at any time, via telephone or online, for a free initial consultation.