- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
In an instant, your reputation, family, and career can all be in jeopardy because of a sex crimes allegation. Your accuser may be a recent acquaintance or someone from your distant past who has come forward. In either case, prosecutors can charge you with a felony sex crime and press ahead with prosecuting you.
You need a strong and forceful advocate to defend your rights. You need Greenwood Law, your sex crimes attorney serving Lewisville, to help you fight back against unfounded sex crime charges. It is vital that you meet these serious allegations quickly and decisively, and Greenwood Law will help you do just that.
You can be charged with a variety of sex crimes, depending on the circumstances. Contact Greenwood Law for assistance right away if you are charged with any of the following in Lewisville:
Having sexual intercourse with a minor is a serious allegation. The age of the minor, and your age, determine the precise penalties you will face. The most severe penalties are reserved for those who commit statutory rape of a child by an adult. You can face this charge if you are over 18 and have sexual intercourse or contact with a minor under 13.
If you are convicted of this offense, you could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
You can also face statutory rape charges if you have sex with a child under 15 and there is at least a four-year age difference between you and the minor. The penalties increase in severity if the age difference is greater than six years.
It is also a crime to have sexual intercourse with another adult or commit a sex offense against them if that person does not consent. Likewise, if the person is not mentally capable of consenting, having sex or committing another sex act on that person is a crime.
In North Carolina, a victim of forcible rape does not need to try to fight off their attacker or communicate that they are in fear in order for the act to be a crime.
Committing lewd acts or sexually touching a minor is also an allegation you should take seriously, especially if you are five years older than the victim. Unlike statutory rape, which requires intercourse or penetration, taking indecent liberties only requires evidence of sexually motivated touching.
Even the lowest punishment for this crime can be onerous. Depending on the victim’s age, this crime could be punished as a Class F felony, and the court could sentence you to up to 41 months in prison.
Those in a quasi-parental role with a minor, such as a babysitter or foster parent, can be accused of committing a sex offense against a minor in their home. Even if it does not qualify as statutory rape, taking advantage of a minor in this situation can lead to up to an 88-month prison sentence.
Beyond prison sentences, a conviction for a sex crime can require that you register as a sex offender. You’ll be listed in a database that informs the public of your offense, even if you have otherwise satisfied your sentence. Being labeled as a sex offender also means that you:
Beyond these consequences, you will not be able to expunge your sex crime conviction. It will remain on your criminal record for future employers and others to see.
These are just some of the sex offenses penalized by North Carolina law. Before you ever face a courtroom, though, you may face a trial in the court of public opinion. Without a knowledgeable advocate working for you, your accuser’s story can quickly spread and cause you reputational harm. Your family, too, can face scrutiny and discord, all before your case is tried.
Greenwood Law knows the stakes are high when you are charged with any sex offense. That is why when you retain us, we move to resolve your charges quickly, ethically, and effectively. We are proactive about pushing your case toward a successful resolution. Contact your sex crimes lawyer serving Lewisville today.
When you retain Greenwood Law to help you respond to sex crime allegations, we get to work immediately. We will:
The prosecution and law enforcement are not interested in the truth. Instead, they only want to collect evidence that supports their theory of what happened. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office or the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation might conduct an investigation, but it will likely not be enough to fully explain the situation.
Your lawyer will speak with you and other witnesses who may have information about the situation that gave rise to the allegations. We will also take steps to preserve electronic data, such as text messages and social media posts that are favorable to you. These can provide much-needed context about the allegations.
Preparing for your trial begins long before a trial date is set. Your attorney will receive and review all the state’s evidence. Using pretrial motions and litigation, your attorney will move to exclude evidence that was illegally collected or irrelevant to your charges. This can weaken the prosecution’s case and make a favorable resolution more likely.
We will also challenge the sufficiency of the evidence the prosecution has assembled. For felonies, one of the early hearings in your case will be a probable cause preliminary hearing. If the prosecution cannot show there is probable cause to support its charges, those charges must be dismissed.
At every stage of your criminal case, Greenwood Law will put the prosecution’s case to the test. Our objective is to obtain the most favorable outcome for you as quickly as possible. Contact us immediately so we can start your case.
As someone who is accused of a crime, you have rights in North Carolina. These rights can be lost if you fail to exercise them when appropriate. These include the right to:
As experienced criminal defense attorneys serving in Lewisville, we understand these rights and how crucial they are to you. We will work tirelessly to assert them throughout your case.
Every moment you delay reaching out to Greenwood Law is another moment lost that could have been spent resolving your case. Contact us and request a consultation. Let our team show you the difference having experienced counsel at your side can make during this challenging time.
