Sex Crimes Lawyers in Shreveport Providing Aggressive Legal Representation For Clients
If you or a family member are facing sex crime charges, you must immediately hire a highly experienced attorney. Individuals convicted of sex crimes suffer negative life-altering consequences, including time in state prison and numerous restrictions on where they can legally reside or even specific jobs they can hold.
For this reason, it is imperative that you seek qualified legal representation when charged with criminal offenses that involve sex crimes. Sex crime charges can prevent you from pursuing your life goals. Because Louisiana takes sex crime allegations seriously, you need a sex crime attorney who can defend your legal rights and aggressively advocate on your behalf.
Contact the law office of Whiddon Criminal Defense of Shreveport, Louisiana, to schedule a free consultation with one of our sex crime attorneys, who will gladly meet with you to discuss your charges and determine legal options.
Why Do I Need to Hire a Sex Crimes Attorney to Represent Me?
The premise of the criminal justice system is that a defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. However, this is usually not true in criminal defense cases involving sex crimes. The accused is often judged in the court of public opinion for crimes involving sexual assault, rape, or child pornography.
Consequently, individuals charged with sex crimes must have a criminal defense lawyer who is not afraid to stand up for them and fight to protect their rights. Without the assistance of a knowledgeable sex crime attorney, the accused runs the risk of being convicted and being labeled a sex offender for the rest of their life.
Sex crime lawyers have the legal experience and knowledge to defend clients against these serious criminal offenses properly. Even though other criminal defense attorneys may claim to be able to launch a defense on your behalf, not all of them have the experience necessary to provide you with favorable results.
If you are convicted of a sex crime, you could face significant time in jail or prison, stiff fines, and life-long restrictions. Contact our law office to schedule a meeting with a qualified legal team member who can answer your questions and determine the best legal strategy for your case.
What is the Louisiana Sex Offender Registry?
Under Louisiana law, individuals convicted of sex crimes are placed on the sex offender registry for a minimum of 15 years. However, the length of time that the offender remains on the registry depends on the circumstances surrounding the sex crime in question.
Offenders will be placed on the registry, and the classification or tier they are placed on depends on the type of sex crime committed.
- Tier I offenders are required to remain on the registry for 15 years.
- Tier II offenders are required to remain on the registry for 25 years.
- Tier III offenders are required to remain on the registry for life.
Some common examples of Tier I offenders include those convicted of crimes such as sexual battery of an adult victim. Tier II offenders are those who have been convicted of the possession or production of child pornography. Finally, Tier III offenders are those who have been convicted of forced or aggravated rape or incest.
In addition to being limited to where they can work, live, or even travel, Louisiana sex offenders must disclose their offenses on their social media profiles.
What is Considered Sexual Battery?
Sexual battery occurs when an individual engages in an activity with another person where there is intentional and non-consensual touching of another person’s genitals or anus. Sexual battery can also be charged if an individual forces a victim to touch their genitals or anus. The law also stipulates that this inappropriate behavior can occur with or without clothes on the victim or perpetrator.
Some other factors that can cause an individual to be charged with sexual battery include:
- The perpetrator is over the age of 65 and does not have consent from the victim, regardless of age, to engage in sexual touching.
- The victim is younger than 15, and the perpetrator is at least 13 years older than the victim.
- The perpetrator is over 17, and the victim cannot defend themselves due to a lack of understanding, “unsoundness of mind,” or physical disability.
- The penalties for sexual battery range depending on the events of the crimes. For example, if the perpetrator was older than 17 and the victim was younger than 13 when the crime was committed, the perpetrator would have to be sentenced to a mandatory 25 years in prison. For adult perpetrators who commit a sexual battery against a child younger than 13, they could face 25 to 99 years in prison.
Therefore, if you have been accused of sexual battery or any other type of sex crime, it is vital that you seek legal representation from a highly qualified attorney like those of Whiddon Criminal Defense, who can launch a vigorous criminal defense on your behalf.
Why Should I Trust My Criminal Defense to Your Sex Crimes Lawyers?
Being accused of sex crimes can have a devastating effect on your life and reputation in the community. A conviction can cause it to be challenging to obtain gainful employment, a loan, or attend the higher learning institution of your choice.
The criminal justice system can be overly confusing and should not be left to chance when you are facing sexual assault or any other type of sex crimes. Instead, it is always best to hire a sex crime attorney immediately.
The sex crimes attorneys of Whiddon Criminal Defense of Shreveport, Louisiana, have extensive experience handling these complicated cases and obtaining favorable client results. We strive to treat each of our clients with the integrity and compassion they deserve.
Contact Whiddon Criminal Defense at 318-594-4565 and ask to schedule a free no-obligation consultation to discuss your case and determine what legal strategies may be available.