Sex Crime Attorney in Riverside

• Child Molestation Defense— Child molestation is a felony in California. Continuous sexual abuse of a child (three or more lewd acts with a person under 14 over at least three months) carries a prison sentence of 6, 12, or 16 years and mandatory lifetime registration as a Tier 3 sex offender. False accusations arise in these cases for many reasons, including coaching by a third party or misidentification. A thorough, independent review of all evidence is essential to exposing those inconsistencies.
• Date Rape Defense— Under California law, date rape and stranger rape carry identical penalties. A conviction can result in up to eight years in prison and lifetime Tier 3 sex offender registration. When allegations arise from a relationship gone wrong, identifying the accuser’s motive and reviewing all prior communications is central to the defense.
• Statutory Rape Defense— California prohibits sexual intercourse between an adult and anyone under 18, regardless of consent, on the basis that minors can’t give informed consent. The prosecution doesn’t need to prove assault. Charges fall into four categories based on the ages of the parties:
  • Unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor is sexual intercourse or penetration between a minor who is 17 or younger and a defendant of any age.
  • Unlawful oral copulation involves oral sex between a minor who is 17 or younger and a defendant of any age.
  • Sexual penetration covers intercourse or penetration between a minor under 14 and a defendant at least ten years older.
  • Lewd and lascivious acts upon a child encompass sexual contact with a minor who is 13 or younger and a defendant of any age, or a minor who is 14 or 15 and a defendant at least ten years older.

  Penalties depend on the ages of both parties. A misdemeanor conviction can mean probation, up to 364 days in jail, and a fine of up to $1,000. A felony conviction carries 16 months to eight years in prison and fines up to $10,000. California’s marital exemption applies when the parties are legally married, and the “Romeo and Juliet” exception may reduce a felony to a misdemeanor when close-in-age minors engage in consensual sex.

• Rape Defense— California defines rape as nonconsensual sexual intercourse accomplished through violence, duress, threats, fraud, or when the victim was unconscious. A conviction carries up to eight years in prison (up to 13 when the victim was under 14), fines up to $10,000, a strike under California’s Three Strikes Law, and lifetime Tier 3 sex offender registration. When consent was given and then withdrawn, courts examine whether the objection was clearly communicated in a way a reasonable person would have recognized.
• Child Pornography Defense— California’s child pornography laws cover possession, production, transportation, sending, and advertising of material depicting a minor under 18 in a sexual act. The charge is a wobbler and can be filed as a misdemeanor or felony depending on the facts. A felony conviction can result in up to eight years in prison and a fine as large as $100,000, plus lifetime sex offender registration. A misdemeanor conviction can carry up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
• Internet Solicitation Defense— Internet sex crime charges don’t require that any physical act occur. Approaching someone online to solicit sex for compensation is sufficient for a charge. Related offenses include sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution or production of child pornography, sexting, and internet solicitation of a minor with intent to initiate sexual contact. An accusation alone can cost a person their job and reputation before trial.
• Prostitution Defense— Prostitution in California is prosecuted under the disorderly conduct statute as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Under California Penal Code 647, a person who uses or seeks the services of a prostitute under the age of 18 faces a fine of up to $10,000.
• Possession of Obscene Materials Defense— California law prohibits possession or distribution of materials depicting minors that qualify as obscene, but the definition of obscenity isn’t fixed. That ambiguity creates room for defense arguments about how the material is classified, and an experienced Riverside sex crime defense attorney can assess whether the prosecution’s characterization of the evidence holds up.
• Sexual Assault Defense— Sexual assault charges cover a range of unwanted sexual contact and can be filed as a misdemeanor or felony depending on the circumstances. Penalties vary by the specific conduct alleged, the relationship between the parties, and whether force or coercion was involved.
• Indecent Exposure, Sodomy, Sexual Abuse & Solicitation Defense— California law covers a broad spectrum of sexual offenses beyond the most frequently charged crimes. Indecent exposure, sodomy, sexual abuse, and solicitation each carry its own statutory penalties and, in some cases, sex offender registration requirements.

Defense Strategies in Sex Crime Cases

Every sex crime case turns on its specific facts. Our former-prosecution background means we approach each case knowing what the government needs to prove and where that proof can be challenged. We evaluate every available avenue: suppression motions, defense arguments, charge negotiations, and jury trial preparation.

The defenses we analyze in every case include:

• False accusation is a recognized defense when the evidence reveals inconsistencies in the accuser’s account, a motive to fabricate, or coaching by a third party. Prior communications, behavioral patterns, and witness accounts can all surface those inconsistencies.
• Consent applies when both parties voluntarily agreed to the conduct. Prior communications, witness accounts, and the circumstances surrounding the encounter are all potentially relevant evidence.
• Insufficient evidence is a viable challenge when the prosecution’s case rests entirely on uncorroborated testimony without physical evidence, forensic findings, or independent witnesses.
• Mistaken identity arises when alibi evidence, physical description mismatches, or errors in lineup procedures undermine the identification of the defendant.
• Entrapment applies in sting operation cases when law enforcement induced the defendant to commit an offense they wouldn’t otherwise have committed.
• Fourth Amendment suppression is raised when police obtained evidence through an illegal search, an improperly conducted lineup, or another constitutional violation.