Dunwoody Sex Crime Lawyer
Being accused of a sex crime is often one of the most traumatic and stressful events in a person’s life. Even the mere accusation of a sexual crime against an adult or a child can result in personal and professional ruin, and Georgia takes allegations of sex crimes extremely seriously. If you or a loved one has been accused of a sex crime in the Georgia, it is critical that you speak with an experienced Dunwoody sex crime lawyer as soon as possible. At Hawkins Spizman, our team of dedicated legal professionals is standing by in our Dunwoody office to help. Call or contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.
Common Types of Sex Crimes
The term sex crimes is an broad phrase that encompasses a number of different criminal offenses that involve a non-consensual sexual act. Some of the most commonly charged sex crimes in Georgia include the following:
- Prostitution
- Solicitation
- Pimping
- Rape
- Child molestation, exploitation, or sexual abuse
- Creating, distributing, or possessing child pornography
- Aggravated child molestation, and
- Aggravated sodomy
However, there are many other criminal acts that are considered sex crimes, and conviction for a sex crime can result in serious and severe penalties that can follow a person for the rest of their life. Penalties include a permanent criminal record, thousands of dollars in fines, jail time, probation, community service, registration on the sex offender registry, and more. For misdemeanor sex crimes, a person convicted can face up to one year in jail, where felony sex crimes can result in up to twenty years in prison.
Defenses to Georgia Sex Crimes
There are many reasons why someone may falsely accuse another person of committing a sex crime. They may be embarrassed or humiliated by a sexual encounter and attempt to avoid it by claiming it was nonconsensual. A parent or former spouse may make accusations of sex crimes in order to achieve a more favorable outcome in a divorce or child custody agreement. A student or coworker could make the accusation in order to seek revenge for a poor grade or bad performance review. Whatever the reason, there are many valid legal defenses available to someone accused of committing this type of act.
The most common defense to a sex crime is that the encounter was consensual. If the alleged victim is an adult who consented to the act, there is no crime. Another common defense is mistake of age or involuntary intoxication. Note that the intoxication defense must be involuntary, not voluntary, so there must be an unexpected reaction to a substance like a prescribed medication in order for this to apply. Finally, the case could be due to police mistake or misconduct, where law enforcement is so determined to make an arrest for a sex crime they err in their judgment or evidence collection in the case.
Call or Contact Our Office Now
If you or someone you know has had an allegation of a sex crime made against them, it is important that you speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. To learn more about your legal options after allegations of a sex crime, call the office or contact us at Hawkins Spizman today to schedule a free consultation.
