Sexual offense accusations can ruin your reputation, and if you are convicted, you will face jail time and be listed as a sex offender. The consequences of a sex crime conviction can affect your personal and professional relationships and haunt you for the rest of your life. For this reason, you must fight any sexual offense accusations against you.
The Toledo sex crimes lawyers at Patituce & Associates battle valiantly for clients facing sex crimes charges. You have a right to tell your side of the story. We will vigorously contest the evidence and the methods used to collect it to get the case thrown out or lessen the implications.
Please get in touch with our Toledo criminal defense attorneys at 419-737-4556 to get started on protecting your rights, reputation, and future.
What Are Examples of Sex Crimes in Ohio?
In Ohio, there are numerous types of sex crimes. Your job and personal life may suffer if you are convicted of a sex crime. Here are examples of sexual offenses in Ohio.
Rape
Rape is any unwelcome sexual act, typically a sexual encounter, in which the alleged offender compels, coerces, or deceives the victim into engaging in sex. Suppose the alleged perpetrator engages in sexual activity with a child under 13 or a person who is physically or mentally incapacitated and unable to consent. In that case, they may also be found guilty of rape, a first-degree crime.
Statutory Rape
Statutory rape is any sexual act performed on a person not of legal age to consent, even if that person is willing. The prosecution doesn’t need to show you used force or threats in a statutory rape case.
Improper Sexual Contact (Formerly Sexual Assault)
Improper sexual contact is unwanted sexual contact, such as touching another person’s erogenous region. Erogenous regions include genitalia, thighs, buttocks, or breasts.
However, you cannot be found guilty of improper sexual contact based only on the accuser’s testimony. Further proof is usually necessary to support the accuser’s claims.
Sexual Battery
An instance of sexual battery occurs when you coerce someone into engaging in sexual activity against their will. Ohio law typically defines sexual battery as a third-degree felony.
Aggravated Sodomy
Aggravated sodomy involves coercing someone into engaging in a sexual act involving the mouth and anus. Using physical force, threats, or intimidation to coerce someone into engaging in sodomy is a severe offense.
Aggravated Child Molestation
You can be charged with aggravated child molestation if you injure the accuser (usually a minor) during the offense. The sexual act can also be aggravated child molestation if sodomy is present. There are severe penalties for severe child molestation, including 25 years to life imprisonment.
Child Porn
Under Ohio Code Section 2907.321, it is illegal to generate, market, distribute, obtain, or possess obscene material involving a minor. Child pornography crimes in Ohio are felony charges with stiff penalties. Sentencing is even harsher in federal child porn cases.
Prostitution
Engaging in prostitution, promoting prostitution, and forcing prostitution are all considered sex crimes in Ohio. These crimes may be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the case’s specifics and whether the defendant has a history of sex crimes.
Public Indecency
A public indecency charge involves displaying nudity or engaging in some form of sexual conduct in a public space. This could include intentionally exposing sexual organs, masturbating, or performing an act that emulates masturbation or sex in public.
The severity of these charges depends on the specific act being committed, the location where it was committed, whether it was intentional or reckless, and your criminal history.
What Are Some of the Penalties for Committing a Sex Crime?
Our Toledo sex crimes lawyers can examine how the state’s laws categorize the crime if you are under investigation or have been arrested for a sexual crime. The following sections discuss what might occur if a court finds you guilty of a sex offense in Ohio.
Misdemeanor Convictions
The Ohio Revised Code 2924.24 lists the precise jail sentences for misdemeanors as follows.
- First-degree: $1,000 fine or up to 180 days in prison
- Second-degree: Up to 90 days in prison and a $750 fine
- Third-degree: Up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine
- Fourth-degree: Up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $250
A court can impose punishments that match the circumstances of the case in addition to the appropriate amount of jail time. Some of these are home detention, a ban on driving, probation, parole, community work, and drug and alcohol testing.
First- and Second-Degree Felony Crimes
Ohio Revised Code 2929.14 specifies how long you must serve in prison after being found guilty of a sexual felony. If you are guilty of more than one felony, the rules governing penalizing first- and second-degree offenses become much more complex.
The penalties for first- and second-degree felonies are as follows.
- First-degree: 3–11 years in jail, with a $20,000 maximum fine
- Second-degree: Maximum fine of $15,000 plus two to eight years in jail
What Are Some of the Defenses When Charged With a Sex Crime?
You shouldn’t speak to the police or the prosecution about your case immediately if you are suspected of any of these or other Ohio sex offenses. Instead, use your right to have a criminal defense lawyer in Toledo present during your questioning.
The following are some of the possible defense strategies in sex crime cases.
Suppressing the Evidence
Our Toledo sex crimes attorneys can get the information discovered on your desktop, laptop, or office computer excluded from the case if you are accused of a crime like possessing online child pornography. This happens when the search that resulted in the discovery and seizure of your computer violated the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures
Revealing Lies
Sex crime accusations often stem from trying to take advantage in a family law court dispute. Our attorneys in Toledo will interview potential witnesses, consult with our client, and investigate any possible justification.
Re-Examining DNA and Forensic Evidence
In Ohio, sexual assault allegations are often supported by physical evidence such as DNA. The government laboratory’s practices, techniques, and findings are constantly up for debate. We also conduct our testing to check for cross-contamination and other issues that can reduce the reliability of the results
Challenging Witness Testimonies
In many sex crimes, the primary evidence is the eyewitness identification provided by the accuser or witnesses in the area. But a lot of sex crimes occur in very dark settings. Eyewitness identifications are frequently incorrect, even in the best of circumstances. The testimony could be highly dubious when stress and inadequate lighting are present.
What Should I Do If I Have Been Arrested for a Sex Crime?
Being accused of a sex crime is unsettling, alienating, unpleasant, and frightening. You must be aware of the actions to take to safeguard your legal rights. Avoid making a mistake that will make it more difficult for you to support your story.
Consider these actions if you have been accused or suspected of any sex crime in Ohio.
Avoid Speaking With the Accuser Directly
If the sexual allegations are blatantly untrue or if you are unsure of the source of the charge, it could be tempting to speak with the accuser directly. However, you must resist the urge and refrain from contacting the accuser via phone, text, email, or in person.
Don’t Talk to the Police Without an Attorney Present
You will be detained or questioned by a law enforcement agency if you are accused of a sexual offense. Don’t answer any questions without a Toledo sex crimes lawyer. The authorities might misinterpret and turn your statements against you.
Collect Any Relevant Information That Can Support Your Defense
You can obtain proof that can help you clear your name, depending on the specifics of your case. You might, for instance, provide evidence that demonstrates you were not present when the alleged sexual assault occurred. Obtain any proof you can that would support your claim. Our Toledo criminal defense lawyers can filter through the evidence and concentrate on what matters most.
Contact a Toledo Sex Crimes Lawyer
Sexual allegations have severe and life-altering implications. Avoid attempting to handle such accusations by yourself. Never try to talk your way out of a situation. Contact a renowned Toledo sex crime defense attorney immediately if you get detained and accused of sexual offenses.
A competent criminal defense lawyer will investigate the allegations and assist you in taking the necessary actions to safeguard your rights, freedom, reputation, and future. Most importantly, we have a professional license defense attorney who will tirelessly work to defend your professional license
Why Should I Hire Patituce & Associates?
You don’t want to jeopardize your future when you are accused of a sex crime in Ohio. Sex crime trials necessitate a great deal of legal expertise and courtroom experience due to the nature of the offense to ensure the best possible defense. Patituce & Associates has assisted victims of various sex offenses in Ohio.
We are entirely familiar with Ohio sex crime legislation. We are also acquainted with the local courts and prosecutors, which provides us with a wealth of knowledge and numerous benefits. Here are some reasons why you should hire our sex crimes attorneys in Toledo to defend you.
We Give Your Case Receives the Attention It Deserves
We devote all of our attention to your case when you choose Patituce & Associates. There is no doubt that public defenders work extremely hard, handling around 65% of all felonies and misdemeanor cases across Ohio.
But they can’t provide you with the one-on-one assistance and materials required. You will receive courtesy and respect at Patituce & Associates. Our Toledo sex crimes lawyers will work hard to ensure your case has the best outcome possible.
We Rely on Professional Testimony
We often call on specialists to testify about psychological issues or behaviors in addition to character witnesses. This can be used to disprove the myth of sexual abuse. An expert psychologist assists us in proving that your thoughts and behavior do not fit the description of a sexual predator if you are charged with sexual offenses.
A thorough psychiatric evaluation and testing could be crucial to your sex offense case, although many defense attorneys do not employ this helpful technique. Due to our extensive experience, we can choose the most reliable experts and effectively present them in court to fight for your rights and freedom.
We Carefully Investigate Your Case
We will investigate your case’s facts as soon as you seek help from our firm. We have a solid legal defense team and diligent investigators to help us gather proof to back up your account. Patituce & Associates attorneys strive to develop a legal plan based on solid evidence and the merits of your case. Get in touch immediately if you’ve been charged with a sex crime in Ohio.
Talk to an Experienced Toledo Sex Crimes Attorney!
Being accused of a sexual crime in Ohio is severe and can have a long-lasting impact on your life. If you are found guilty of a sex crime in Ohio, you may be required to pay hefty penalties, serve a lengthy prison sentence, and register as a sex offender.
It is not uncommon for innocent people to face sex crime charges in Ohio. Protect your reputation and future! Talk to a Toledo sex crimes attorney as soon as possible when accused of a sex crime. A knowledgeable attorney can help you navigate the complex Ohio legal system and work to get the charges dropped or ensure you get a favorable outcome.
At Patituce & Associates, we are aware of the adverse effects that a sex crime conviction may have on a person’s life. Our Toledo sex crimes lawyers work tenaciously for our client’s rights and challenge the validity and integrity of physical evidence and witness testimony.
While we intend to intervene early to resolve prosecutor’s cases and prevent the filing of Ohio sex offense charges, if they are nonetheless filed, we fight aggressively to get them dismissed or overturned. Contact us at 419-737-4556 to learn more about how our sex crimes defense attorneys can help.
