Queens Rape in the First Degree

Rape is one of the most common sex offenses. There are three degrees of rape under New York law. All involve having sexual intercourse with another person without that person's consent. Under New York Penal Law there are three bases for a charge of rape in the first degree. You will face this charge if you engage in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion, if you engage in sexual intercourse with another person who is physically helpless, if you engage in sexual intercourse with another person who is less than 11 years old, or if you are at least 18 years old and you have sexual intercourse with a child who is less than 13 years old. Rape in the first degree is the most serious rape charge. It is a Class B felony. If you are convicted you could end up in prison for 25 years. N.Y. Pen. Law § 130.35. Because of the consequences of being convicted of rape in the first degree or any rape charge, as soon as you have been arrested you should contact an experienced Queens Rape in the First Degree Lawyer who explain to you your legal options and who will aggressively defend you against the charges.

• New York Criminal Lawyer
• N.Y. Criminal Law and New York Sex Crimes Lawyer
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sex Crimes Lawyer
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sexual Misconduct
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Rape in the Third Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Rape in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Rape in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Forcible Touching
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Persistent Sexual Abuse
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sexual Abuse in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Aggravated Sexual Abuse in the Fourth Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Aggravated Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Aggravated Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Aggravated Sexual Abuse in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the Second Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Female Genital Mutilation
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Facilitating a Sexual Offense with a Controlled Substance
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sexually Motivated Felony
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Predatory Sexual Assault
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Predatory Sexual assault Against a Child
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sex Crimes Defenses
• N.Y. Criminal Law and Queens Sex Crimes Sentencing

In order for the prosecutor to charge you with rape in the first degree or any other type of rape offense, he or she must be able to show that there was a lack of consent. A necessary element for a rape in the first degree charge, or for any sex crime is a lack of consent. N.Y. Pen. Law § 130.05. Under the statute lack of consent must be evident by certain specified conditions that if present differentiate rape in the first degree from other types of rape charges.

• Forcible Compulsion. If you used physical force in order to have sex with another person, then you used forcible compulsion and the victim did not consent. In addition to physical force, forcible compulsion also refers to using a threat of death or physical injury either to the victim or to someone else. In People v. Schlau, 2014 N.Y. Slip Op. 03325 (2015), the defendant Schlau was charged with rape in the first degree based on evidence that showed that he used a knife to force the victim to have sex with him. If you threaten to kidnap the victim or someone else that also amounts to forcible compulsion. N.Y. Pen. Law § 130.00(8)

• Physically Helpless. A person is physically helpless if he or she is sleep, unconscious or for any other reason is unable to express refusal to the sexual act. N.Y. Pen. Law § 130.00 (7). It is irrelevant to the charge of rape in the first degree that you did not cause the person to become physically helpless. In People v. Williams, 837 N.Y.S.2d 384 (2007), defendant Bryan Williams was convicted of rape in the first degree based on having sexual intercourse with a woman who had passed out from drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.

• Child Victim. Children are not legally able to consent to sex. If the victim is a child less than 11, or you are at least 18 years old and the victim is a child who is less than 13 years old. When the rape is of a child, it is also referred to as "statutory rape."

If you are accused you will be arrested and taken into custody at the local precinct. Your next stop will be Central Booking which is located in the criminal court building in the county where you were arrested. You will remain in Central Booking until you are called for your arraignment hearing. The arraignment is a hearing where you will be formally charged. Even if you are arrested on a rape in the first degree charge the prosecutor may add additional criminal charges. For example, based on the allegations of the case the prosecutor may also charge you with criminal sexual act in the first degree, attempted rape in the first degree, predatory sexual assault, predatory sexual assault against a child, or sexual abuse in the first degree. You may also be charged with other crimes that are not sex crimes. You will enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.

The next step in the arraignment hearing is the issue of bail. The judge will decide if bail is required. The judge may release you on your own recognizance, set bail or require that you be held without bail. The judge's decision will be based on his or her assessment of whether or not you are a flight risk. You will then learn when you must next appear in court. You must attend every court hearing, otherwise the judge will issue a bench warrant for your arrest.

Between the time of your arraignment and the actual trial, you may be able to reach a plea agreement with the prosecutor. The agreement will require you to plead guilty to a crime. Usually a crime that is a lesser offense than the charge you originally face. As a result you will face a less harsh sentence. If a plea agreement is reached, then a trial will not be necessary.

Depending on the facts of your case there are several possible defenses. If the defense can be proven the result may be that the prosecutor will drop the charge, or you may be acquitted.

• Presence of Consent. Because the lack of consent is a key element to a rape charge, an important defense is to show evidence that there was consent to the sexual intercourse. This means that you will have to show that there was no forcible compulsion or that the victim was not physically helpless.

• Statute of Limitations. The statute of limitations may provide a defense if the incident that lead to the rape in the first degree charge occurred years in the past. The statute of limitations requires that the prosecutor bring a case within a certain period of time. If the prosecutor fails to do so, then he or she is forever barred from bringing the case. In some cases the victim waits a long time before contacting law enforcement about a sexual assault. In other cases, even though the accuser has come forward the prosecutor is unable to bring charges within the limitations period.

For a rape charge, because it is a felony, the limitations period is 5 years from the time of the incident. The exception to this rule is in cases where the accuser is under the age of 18. If so the statute of limitations does not being to run until the accuser's 18th birthday or when he or she reports the incident to law enforcement.

The maximum sentence for being convicted of rape in the first degree is up to 25 years in prison as it is a Class B felony. Rape in the first degree is further classified as a violent felony offense. This means that the judge must follow minimum sentencing requirements. If you are convicted you will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 25 years. You must serve at least 6/7 of your prison sentence before you will be eligible to be released on parole. In the case of People v. Williams the defendant was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted for rape in the first degree. While he was originally sentenced to 22 years, on appeal the judge lowered his sentence to 15 years based on the defendant's lack of significant criminal history.

If this conviction is your second violent felony conviction, the minimum prison sentence that you will be required to serve is 10 years. N.Y. Pen. Law § 70.04. If you are convicted of other crimes in addition to rape in the first degree, even if they are misdemeanors, your sentence will be more severe than if you were convicted of just one crime.

If you are able to negotiate a plea deal with the prosecutor such that the charge is reduced to a less serious crime that is not classified as a violent felony, then it is possible that you could be sentenced to a short prison term or even to probation. While probation is a much preferable sentence than incarceration, it is not without restrictions. With probation comes a set of rules that you are required to follow. These rules may include: you must not commit a crime, you must maintain a job, you must not drink alcohol excessively, you must refrain from associating with disreputable people, you must use controlled substances, you must refrain from possessing firearms, you cannot leave New York without permission, you must stick to a curfew, and you must regularly check in with your probation officer. If you break the conditions of your probation a judge may send you to jail, or the judge may modify the terms of your probation.

If you are convicted of rape in the first degree you will be required to register as a sex offender under the New York Sex Offender Registration Act. N.Y. Cor. Law § 168. Once you are convicted of registrable offense such as rape in the first degree, you will have a hearing during which a determination will made as to the level of risk you pose to the community. Level 1 offenders present a low risk of re-offending; level 2 offenders present a medium risk of re-offending; and level 3 offenders present a high risk of re-offending. Level 1 offenders will remain on the registry for at least 20 years. Level 2 and 3 offenders will remain on the registry for life. In addition, the names and other personal information of Level 2 and 3 offenders will made available to the public. Regardless of level, all registered sex offenders must verify their addresses and other personal information with law enforcement and must inform law enforcement of a new addresses within 10 days of moving. Level 3 offenders must verify their addresses every 90 days. If you move out of New York State, you will be required to follow the sex offender registration requirements of that jurisdiction.

Defending a rape in the first degree charge can be quite complicated. There are often complex issues related to consent, credibility and evidence. The staff at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC has years of experience successfully defending clients in New York criminal courts who are accused of rape in the first degree as well as other sex crimes such as sexual misconduct, criminal sexual act, forcible touching, sexual abuse, and facilitating a sexual offense with a controlled substance. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case.