Bronx Statutory Rape

No one wants to be accused of any serious sex crime throughout New York, but this is a reality that anyone who has been accused of statutory rape must understand. Taking the necessary steps to protect yourself may involve finding a Bronx statutory rape defense lawyer immediately.

Turning to a statutory rape defense lawyer in the Bronx means gathering up all of the appropriate evidence and scheduling a consultation as soon as possible. With a severe crime such as rape, as with any other type of sex crime, you can expect that the prosecution will work hard within their power to develop a comprehensive case against you.

Without a Bronx statutory rape defense attorney, you may expose yourself to common mistakes that could jeopardize your freedom and your future. For this reason, you need to find a lawyer you can trust at the outset of your case to protect you. Knowing that you have someone who truly cares about you goes a long way towards minimizing fears during this delicate time. The facts of the case may enhance your bail, so you need a lawyer who will argue to reduce this.

Understanding the statutory rape laws in New York means responding to any of these allegations immediately and showing the state that you are serious about defending yourself by retaining a statutory rape defense attorney in the Bronx who has a track record of investigating other accused individuals successfully.

It is illegal for adults to engage in sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 17. That individual is not legally allowed to provide consent until they have achieved adulthood. This means that someone could be accused of a criminal offense even if the minor did agree to participate in the consensual act. This is referred to as statutory rape. The law may seem fairly cut and dry on this issue but it is often interpreted in a way that the severity of the charges can be adjusted based on numerous different factors.

This could affect the sentencing that the offender may ultimately face. This is why you need to retain a criminal defense attorney who has a track record of successfully representing people against statutory rape charges. A conviction of statutory rape has the potential to follow you around for years to come making it more difficult to obtain an apartment, requiring you to register as a sex offender or making it difficult to obtain a job. For this reason, you need a lawyer who will do everything in his or her power to explore your opportunities to protect you.

New York Code 130.25 allows individuals to be charged with statutory rape in the third degree if they are at least 21 years old and engage in sexual intercourse with a minor who is younger than 17. This is a class E felony with up to four years in prison and up to $5000 in fines being assessed. Statutory rape in the second degree may instead be assessed in the case under New York code 130.30 if you were aged 18 or older at the time and engaged in sexual intercourse with a minor younger than age 15. This applies in cases except in which the offender was less than four years older than the victim. This is instead charged as a class D felony with up to $5000 in fines and is punished by up to 7 years in prison. Statutory rape in the first degree is outlined under the New York code 130.35 and outline situations in which a person engages in sexual intercourse with minor younger than age 11 or in which someone older than age 18 engages in sexual intercourse with a minor younger 13. As a class B felony, the fines and potential penalties in prison are much more serious. A $30,000 fine may apply and up to 25 years in prison.

A mandatory prison sentence could be applied regardless of the circumstances of your case which is why it is so important to retain a criminal defense attorney immediately to understand the specific impact of your charges and the possible defenses you have in your case. The more information you have with you about what you have been charged with and the potential evidence maintained by the prosecution, the better your chances are of avoiding significant consequences.