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Wexford Sex Crimes

Sex Crime Lawyers Wexford, PA

Criminal charges are serious, and they carry serious consequences. Don’t make the mistake of going up against the criminal justice system in Wexford alone. Instead, turn to the dedicated legal team at SMT Legal to help you seek a favorable resolution to your case. 

Contact our firm today for a free initial case evaluation with a sex crimes defense lawyer serving Wexford, and let’s discuss your legal options together.

Why Choose a Sex Crimes Lawyer from SMT Legal?

Being prosecuted for a sex crime can put your freedom, reputation, and future at risk. Your choice of legal representation can mean the difference between a favorable resolution and harsh penalties after a conviction. Let a sex defense attorney from SMT Legal help you because:

 

  • We have decades of combined legal experience, which enables us to help you with our collective knowledge. We can guide you through a criminal prosecution on sex charges, no matter the challenges and complexities in your case.
  • You can rest assured that we will do everything possible to help you resolve your charges as effectively as possible.
  • Our firm offers personalized attention and responsive communication throughout your case to ensure you never feel you must face the criminal justice system alone. Our attorneys will stand at your side at each stage of your case.

Types of Sex Cases We Handle

The defense attorneys at SMT Legal have extensive experience representing residents of Wexford and the surrounding region who have been charged with sex offenses such as:

 

  • Rape: The crime of rape involves engaging in sexual intercourse with a person through force, threat of force, or administration of intoxicants, with an unconscious or cognitively impaired person incapable of giving consent,
  • Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse: A person commits IDSI if they engage in deviate sexual intercourse with a person through force, threat of force, or administration of intoxicants, with an unconscious or cognitively impaired person incapable of giving consent, or with a minor under 16 not married to the perpetrator.
  • Sexual assault: Sexual assault under Pennsylvania law refers to any act of engaging in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with a person without their consent.
  • Indecent assault: A person commits indecent assault if they have indecent contact with a victim, cause a victim to have indecent contact with them, or intentionally cause the victim to have contact with seminal fluid, urine, or feces for the purpose of arousing the person’s or the victim’s sexual desire without the victim’s consent, through force, threat, or administration of intoxicants, with an unconscious or cognitively impaired person incapable of giving consent, or with an underage person.
  • Indecent exposure: The crime of indecent exposure under Pennsylvania law occurs when a person exposes their genitalia in public or in any place with other people present when the person knows or should know their conduct will likely alarm, annoy, or offend other people.
  • Unlawful contact with a minor: A person may commit a criminal offense if they intentionally contact a minor, a law enforcement officer posing as a minor in the course of an investigation, or an individual with direct contact with children to solicit a child to engage in sexual offenses, open lewdness, prostitution, or the creation of sexually explicit materials.
  • Child pornography: State and federal laws make it a serious crime for individuals to possess, distribute, or create pornographic materials that depict or include images of minors.

Potential Consequences of a Sex Conviction in Wexford?

Standard sentencing ranges for sex offenses in Wexford include:

 

  • First-degree felony: Up to 20 years in prison and a potential fine of $25,000
  • Second-degree felony: Up to 10 years in prison and a potential fine of $25,000
  • Third-degree felony: Up to seven years in prison and a potential fine of $15,000
  • First-degree misdemeanor: Up to five years in prison and a potential fine of $10,000
  • Second-degree misdemeanor: Up to two years in prison and a potential fine of $50,000
  • Third-degree misdemeanor: Up to one year in jail and a potential fine of $2,500

 

 

People convicted of sex offenses can face other long-lasting consequences beyond a criminal sentence. Sex offenders may have registration obligations under Pennsylvania law, which can impose requirements to report to law enforcement and have their basic information publicly available online. A conviction will also result in a criminal record that includes a sex offense.

 

Moreover, the stigma of a sex crime can have a significant adverse effect on one’s personal and professional reputation, making it challenging to pursue opportunities after completing one’s sentence. Given how serious the potential consequences of a sex conviction in Wexford can be, it’s critically important to have experienced legal representation protecting your freedom and future.

Examples of Defenses to Sex Charges

There are many different defense strategies for sex crime charges in Wexford, including the following:

 

  • Consent: Defendants facing prosecution for certain sex offenses may assert that the alleged victim validly consented to sexual activity with the defendant.
  • Lack of intent: If a sex charge requires a defendant to have acted with a specific level of criminal intent, the defendant may argue that the prosecution’s case fails to show they acted with that intent.
  • Mistaken identification: Defendants may claim that victims or eyewitnesses have erroneously identified them as the perpetrator of the crime by highlighting issues with a victim’s or witness’s view of the perpetrator or by arguing that police used improper identification procedures with the victim or witness.
  • Alibi: A defendant may present evidence proving they were elsewhere when the sex crime allegedly occurred and thus could not have committed it.
  • Unreliable forensic evidence: When cases involve DNA, fingerprints, or other forensic evidence that purportedly links the defendant to the crime, the defendant may highlight issues with testing or breaks in the chain of custody of evidence samples to challenge the reliability of that evidence.
  • Unlawfully obtained evidence or statements: Defendants may file motions to exclude evidence from the prosecution’s case by arguing that law enforcement investigations obtained the evidence through unlawful searches or custodial interrogations that violated the defendant’s rights.

How Can an Attorney Help with Your Sex Case?

You need a well-organized, thorough legal strategy to fight the charges against you effectively. A criminal defense attorney from SMT Legal can help by:

 

  • Recovering all available evidence in your case rather than relying on the case file turned over by the police and prosecutors to build the most robust case possible
  • Carefully evaluating the facts and evidence to identify potential defense strategies supported by the evidence and circumstances surrounding your case
  • Helping you understand the details of your charges and the possible outcomes so you can make decisions about how to proceed in your case
  • Taking every opportunity to challenge the prosecution’s allegations to pursue a favorable resolution to your charges as efficiently as possible
  • Fighting as hard as needed to secure the best possible outcome for you, whether through a favorable plea agreement or by taking your charges to trial to contest the prosecution’s case and assert your innocence

Contact Our Firm Today to Discuss Your Options

Have you been charged with a sex offense in Wexford? If so, you can protect your rights and reputation by working with a knowledgeable sex crimes defense attorney from SMT Legal.

Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation with our legal team to learn how we can help you seek a favorable resolution to the case against you.

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