Alcoa, Tennessee Sex Crimes Defense Attorney

There are few types of criminal charges that can lead to the same level of severe penalties as charges involving sex crimes. A conviction for a sex crime may require a person to serve years or even multiple decades in prison, and they may be required to pay thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in fines and restitution. The sex offender registration requirements that apply after a person has served their sentence are likely to have an impact on their career and personal relationships for the rest of their life. Understanding how to defend against these types of charges can be crucial, and it can ensure that a person will be able to take the right steps to avoid harsh penalties and minimize the impact of sex crime accusations on their life.

At The Baker Law Firm, our lawyer knows how much is at stake for a person who has been charged with a sex crime. He will fight to protect the rights of people who have been charged with these offenses and make sure they receive fair treatment throughout the legal process. He can build effective defense strategies to help a person avoid a sex crime conviction and resolve a case while minimizing the long-term penalties that could affect their future.

Child Pornography and CSAM Charges

Child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) are also known as child pornography. People may face serious criminal charges if they are accused of possessing CSAM. Child pornography possession charges may apply if a person has allegedly possessed materials that show minors engaging in sexual activity, including photos, videos, or computer-generated images that appear to show actual children. While child pornography possession is a felony offense, a person may face a separate charge for each photograph, video, or digital file they allegedly possessed.

More serious charges may apply when a person is accused of promoting, distributing, or producing CSAM. These accusations may involve selling child pornography or distributing it to other people, making CSAM available to be downloaded from websites or file-sharing services, filming or photographing children in sexual situations, or other forms of involvement in the creation of child pornography. These offenses are classified as serious felonies, and convictions can lead to decades behind bars and lifetime registration as a violent sexual offender.

Offenses involving child pornography are taken seriously as law enforcement officials take steps to protect minors against exploitation and address the lasting harm that they may suffer when they are involved in the creation of child sexual abuse materials. These cases may involve technical details about how a person allegedly accessed websites, how files were downloaded or saved, and whether CSAM was made available to other people. Our attorney understands the role that digital evidence can play in these cases and the steps that can be taken to defend against accusations of CSAM possession or distribution.

Online Solicitation of a Minor

When a person is accused of using digital methods to communicate with a minor and attempt to engage in illegal sexual conduct, they could be charged with online solicitation. When a person who is at least 18 years old has allegedly used email, text messages, chat rooms, social media, or other forms of communication to attempt to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activities, they may be charged with this offense. Charges may be based on claims that a person knew that they were communicating with someone who was younger than 18 years and that they tried to convince or coerce the child into meeting them in person to engage in sexual activities, share sexually explicit materials, or engage in other acts that are considered to be sexual offenses.

In many cases, charges of online solicitation of a minor are based on interactions with undercover law enforcement officers. Investigators may pretend to be minors, and they may communicate with alleged offenders. Our lawyer can review these cases, looking at how communication was initiated, whether a person knew about the age and identity of the alleged victim, whether a person believed that they were communicating with an adult, and whether entrapment occurred.

Rape and Sexual Assault Charges

People who are charged with sex crimes may be accused of committing rape by engaging in sexual intercourse without receiving consent. These offenses may involve accusations that a person used force or coercion when engaging in sex acts or that the alleged victim was unable to give consent because of drug or alcohol use or other forms of mental incapacitation. Aggravated rape charges may apply if a person allegedly used a weapon, if the alleged victim suffered a serious injury, or in other circumstances. Both rape and aggravated rape are serious felony offenses that can lead to extended prison sentences and other penalties.

In some cases, accusations of sexual assault may lead to charges of sexual battery rather than rape. Sexual battery may involve forms of sexual contact other than intercourse or penetration that occurred without consent. While sexual battery is often treated as a less serious offense than rape, a person may still face felony charges, and they could be sentenced to multiple years in prison if they are convicted.

When a person has been accused of sexual assault, issues related to consent will often play a key role in a criminal case. Our attorney can review communications between the parties, physical evidence from medical examinations or from the scene of an alleged offense, and other evidence, taking steps to show that consent was given or that a suspect was identified incorrectly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sex Crime Charges