Being accused of a sex crime can be a devastating experience. If you have been contacted by the police as part of an investigation, or have already been charged, you should consult with a lawyer immediately. Sex crimes or sexual misconduct offenses can include rape, sexual battery, child molestation, indecent exposure, and lewd conduct. If you are accused of child molestation, you could be facing life in state prison and lifetime sex registration. If you are accused of rape or sexual battery, the charges are also very serious and carry state prison terms and registration. The justice system is not friendly to persons accused of these types of offenses. Bail can be set extremely high. Pre-trial restrictions may be imposed on you.
When facing these types of charges, you must hire an attorney who has years of experience with these types of cases. Our office has handled many serious, life in prison cases, involving allegations of sexual misconduct. We have worked with experts from all over the State of California, and even the United States in the defense of these types of cases. These cases can involve a wide variety of issues, including DNA, witness memory issues, memory contamination, false confessions, and family dynamics. Mr. Sullivan has attended trainings specifically focused on the defense of these types of crimes put on by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National Child Abuse Defense & Resource Center.
What can be done to defend yourself in a rape or child molestation case? First, you must hire an attorney who has experience in the defense of this type of case. All relevant data must be preserved. All available witnesses must be interviewed by a licensed private investigator. All available records must be sought through the court process. All prior interviews must be transcribed and analyzed. Experts experienced in the field may need to be consulted with. Our office has handled post-conviction proceedings in life in prison sex cases, and has seen how inadequate lawyering at the pre-trial and trial stage can seriously harm the client.
Even if you are accused of a less serious offense, such as misdemeanor sexual battery or indecent exposure, those charges can still carry sex registration, and devastating licensing consequences if you hold a professional license of any kind. Even misdemeanor sex crimes are aggressively prosecuted and can carry severe penalties.
Contact our office today for a free and confidential consultation regarding your legal matter. We have defended serious sexual misconduct cases throughout the Bay Area. We have obtained favorable results in these types of cases for our clients. Below is a sample of results we have obtained in this type of case. Any results here were dependent on the facts of a particular legal matter and results vary from case to case.
Sample Results-Sex Crimes DefenseClient Facing 32 Years to Life for Child Molestation, Hired After He Was Convicted--Complete Reversal, No State Prison, No Sex Registration, Serious Felonies Dismissed (San Mateo County) Won motion for new trial. Reversal of all convictions after hearing involving DNA expert testimony. Case settled prior to retrial for felony plea. No further jail and no sex registration. Client was immediately released from custody.
Client Facing Lifetime Registration and Prison for Felony Sexual Assault Charge--All Felonies Dismissed, No Prison, No Jail, No Sex Registration (San Francisco County) Case resolved for no sex registration and no jail sentence, misdemeanor plea, probation.
Client Facing Up to 20 years for Child Molestation--No Jail, No State Prison (Alameda County) Case resolved by felony plea. No state prison and no jail sentence with sex registration and felony probation.
Client Facing State Prison for Felony Rape Case--Rape Charge Dismissed, Negotiated Plea to Lesser Charge, No Prison, County Jail Sentence (San Mateo County) Client sentenced to one year county jail, felony probation, with sex registration. After preliminary hearing plea offer made that allowed client to plead to a less serious felony.
Client Facing Lifetime Sex Registration for Misdemeanor Sex Battery--No Jail, No Sex Registration (Alameda County) No jail, no registration, misdemeanor probation sentence, after intensive and extensive defense investigation and preparation for trial.
Client Facing 20 Plus Years for Multiple Accuser Molestation Case--No Prison, No Jail, Case Settled Morning of Trial (San Mateo County) Case resolved by felony plea. No state prison, with sex registration, felony probation, dismissal of over a dozen felony counts, on the morning of trial.
Client Facing Misdemeanor Sex Battery Charges, Multiple Accusers--Negotiated Plea to Lesser Charge, Sex Battery Charges Dismissed, No Sex Registration (San Francisco County) Case resolved for 1-year county jail, no registration, probation, after being sent to a trial department and after extensive investigation and trial preparation.
Client Facing Sex Registration for Sexual Misconduct Misdemeanor -- No Sex Registration (San Mateo County) Case resolved for plea to misdemeanor that does not require sex registration, with probation.