Riverside Sex Crimes Defense Attorney
What is a Sex Crime?
In Riverside, a sex crime is illegal sexual conduct, contact, or intercourse. Charges for sex crimes can include acts ranging from child pornography to rape and sexual battery. If you’re charged with a sex crime, you should immediately contact our sex crime defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich to avoid serious legal, personal and professional consequences.
Common Sex Crimes in Riverside
At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys have successfully defended many clients facing sex crime charges in Riverside. Some of the most common sex crimes include:
- Sexual assault
- Soliciting a prostitute
- Statutory rape
- Child sexual abuse
- Rape
- Failure to register as a sex offender
- Indecent exposure
- Lewd acts with a child/child molestation
- Possession of child pornography
- Prostitution / solicitation
Punishments for Sex Crimes| What You’re Facing
If you’re convicted of a sex crime in Riverside, the penalty depends on the crime you’re charged with. Certain sex crimes, such as sexual battery, can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony, depending on what the prosecutor decides and the evidence in your case. Some of the common penalties for misdemeanor sex crimes include but are not limited to:
Misdemeanor
- Jail
- For example, if you’re charged with indecent exposure or lewd conduct you face up to six months in jail. Misdemeanor sexual battery carries up to one year in jail.
- Fines
- For indecent exposure and lewd conduct, there is a maximum fine of $1,000, while misdemeanor sexual battery carries a maximum fine of $3,000.
- Probation
- Registration as a sex offender
Felony
- Prison
- If you’re convicted of rape, you can be sentenced to 3 to 8 years in prison, and if the alleged victim was severely injured, you also face an additional sentence of 3 to 5 years.
- Fines
- For rape, the maximum fine is $5,000. However, aggravating factors can add additional costs to the overall amount.
- Registration as a sex offender
- Obligation to reveal conviction on employment applications
- Ban on firearm possession
Professional and Personal Consequences
Aside from the legal consequences, a sex crime conviction can have long-lasting impacts on your professional and personal life. Due to the social stigma attached to crimes of a sexual nature, just being accused of a sex crime can cost you your career. Once convicted, it may be that much more difficult to get a good job. Employers may frown on your record and opt to hire someone else without any convictions on their record. If your work involves children, such as teaching or daycare work, you will undoubtedly be disqualified from consideration. A sex crime conviction can also interfere with professional certification and licensure.
Being accused of a sex crime is humiliating and stressful. To make matters worse, you may lose relationships with family, friends, and coworkers as a result of your conviction. If you have to register as a sex offender, you will likely face public scrutiny from new acquaintances as well. The costs of court fees and fines only add to your stress. In the midst of all this, it’s easy to lose hope and feel alone.
At Wallin & Klarich, our experienced sex crime defense attorneys understand what you are going through. For over 40 years, we have successfully defended clients facing sex crime allegations. We will remain by your side, guiding you through each step of the legal process.
Fight Back | Possible Defenses Against Sex Crime Charges
If you are facing sex crime allegations, you probably feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn for help. When you choose Wallin & Klarich for your defense, your mind will be at ease. With 40+ years of representing numerous clients in Riverside, we have built strong defense strategies time and time again. Some of the most effective defenses for sex crimes include:
False Accusation
Unfortunately, false accusations happen far too often. This is sometimes due to simple jealousy or revenge. Other times, parents make false accusations to gain an advantage in heated custody battles. False accusations can also stem from a misunderstanding. We’ve successfully defended many cases such as these. If you’re being falsely accused of a sex crime, our attorneys will look closely at the details of your case and present evidence to support your side of the story in court.
No Sexual Contact
Your attorney may also argue that there was no sexual contact. For example, you are accused of rape at a party. The alleged victim says that you raped her after midnight. However, you left the party at 10 o’clock and went to meet a few friends at a bar, where you stayed until 1 am. Your attorney will present testimony from people that saw you leave the party and alibis from your friends and the bartender to prove that you did not make sexual contact with the alleged victim.
Consensual Sex
Your lawyer may argue that the sex was consensual. For example, you and another individual have sex. Prior to having sex the two of you texted back and forth about it. Afterward, you continued conversations. However, after an argument caused by jealousy, you decide to break up, and a week later, you are accused of rape. Your lawyer would show the court evidence to prove your innocence, such as the text messages and any witness testimony. While you did have sex with the individual, it was consensual, meaning both parties willing agreed.
Insufficient Evidence
The prosecution must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. For example, Bob accuses you of sexual battery. However, he did not go to the doctor or tell anyone else. He just showed up at the police station and filed a report. Since this crime never happened, the prosecution will have a hard time presenting evidence. In this case, your attorney will argue false allegations and insufficient evidence, which will likely result in the dismissal of the charges.
Entrapment
Entrapment often comes up in cases involving sting operations and sex crimes. An experienced lawyer can successfully argue this defense. For example, you visit the city and rent a hotel room. While you’re getting your bags out of your car, a woman approaches and offers you sex for money. You ignore her and continue unloading your bags. The woman, an undercover officer, hangs around and follows you to your room. After a while, you invite her inside and are arrested for solicitation of prostitution. Your attorney will argue that the undercover officer pressured you into committing the crime.
Mistaken Identity
Sadly, mistaken identity can occur in sex crime cases. This may also be true in your case. For example, Pat was raped. She describes her attacker as a tall man with dark hair, but she didn’t get a good look at his face. Police question you and put you in a lineup. Pat identifies you as her rapist. However, you were in another state when her attack occurred. You live just down the road from her and have bumped into her a few times at the grocery store. Pat most likely recognized you from there and somehow mistook you for her attacker. In this case, your attorney will argue mistaken identity and show proof that you were in another state when the rape happened.
Hiring A Sex Crime Defense Attorney | How We Can Help You
When you’re facing serious charges, it’s extremely important to hire a skilled attorney with a history of success in the courtroom. At Wallin & Klarich, we believe four (4) key aspects separate an average attorney from the best defense attorney.
- Experience
- Communication
- Track record
- Ethos – Credibility
Wallin & Klarich | 40+ Years of Experience Defending Sex Crime Charges
With over 40 years of experience defending clients accused of sex crimes, our attorneys at Wallin & Klarich understand the different strategies that work in the courtroom based on the details of each case. We are also familiar with the prosecutors, which gives us the advantage of knowing their strategies as well. Our real-world experience allows us to craft a strong defense and greatly increase your chance of success.
24/7 Communication With Your Attorney | The Wallin & Klarich Way
At Wallin & Klarich, communication and transparency are the foundation of our success. It’s easy for clients to get lost in all the paperwork and legality. We want you to know what is going on with your case, so we keep communication open and honest, taking the time to listen and address your concerns. This is why so many people choose our attorneys when facing a sex crime charge. With 24/7 lines of communication and expert guidance throughout their legal journey, our clients are happier and more well-informed. Working together, we’re able to achieve the best results.
Let’s begin building the strongest defense for your case. Give us a call at (877) 4-NO-JAIL.
Track Record of Success | Wallin & Klarich History of Winning Cases
Anyone can say they are successful, but real results speak for themselves. We want you to be just as confident in our abilities as we are, so we invite you to take a look at some of our client’s success stories and big wins in the courtroom.
Reputation & Ethos | Wallin & Klarich A Reputation You Want on Your Side
With hundreds of lawyers claiming to have extensive experience defending sex crime charges throughout Riverside, it is challenging to choose the right law firm to defend you in your sex crime case. During our 40 years of defending clients facing criminal charges, a number of our cases have been featured on television, in newspapers, and throughout the internet. Check out some of our most notable cases below.
Call Us Today
If you or a loved one have been accused of committing sex crimes, getting ahead of the case is often what makes the biggest difference. Give us a call, toll-free at (877) 466-5245 for a free consultation with one of our highly-skilled Riverside sex crimes defense attorneys.
When you need us, we will be here.