Farragut Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer

Criminal charges that involve sexual activities will often be taken more seriously than other types of offenses. Because sex crimes can cause serious harm to victims, people who are accused of these offenses may be investigated by law enforcement, arrested, and placed under harsh restrictions after being released. A conviction can lead to a long sentence in prison, fines, and other consequences, and ongoing registration as a sex offender will have an impact on a person that may limit their opportunities throughout the rest of their life.

Due to the ways people may be affected by accusations of sex crimes, legal representation is essential from the moment a person learns that they are under investigation. At The Baker Law Firm, our attorney can provide legal representation for people facing these types of accusations. He will review the details of an arrest, examine how evidence was gathered, identify violations of a person's constitutional rights, and provide guidance on the best defense strategies to use. By providing compassionate, non-judgmental representation, he can help ensure that these cases can be resolved successfully.

Sexual Battery and Rape Charges

A person who is accused of engaging in unwanted sexual contact with someone else may face serious penalties. The specific charges involved in sexual assault cases will depend on the nature of the alleged offense, and in some cases, the ages of the parties may play a role in a case.

Sexual battery charges may apply if a person is accused of engaging in sexual contact without consent. Sexual contact may include groping or other types of contact other than intercourse. A person may be accused of making contact through the use of force, through coercion, or with a person who could not consent because they were intoxicated, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless. In general, sexual battery is a Class E felony with penalties that may include a prison sentence lasting for one to six years.

Aggravated sexual battery charges may apply if a person allegedly used a weapon, inflicted an injury, or committed an offense against a victim who was under the age of 13. This offense is a Class B felony with a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years and a maximum sentence of 30 years.

Charges of rape are more serious than charges of sexual battery. Accusations of rape may involve claims that a person used force, coercion, or other violations of consent to engage in sexual intercourse. Aggravated rape charges may apply in cases where a person allegedly injured a victim, used a weapon, or was aided by someone else. Other rape charges may include statutory rape in which the alleged victim was younger than 18 years old, child rape in which the victim was between the ages of eight and 13, and aggravated child rape in which the victim was younger than eight years old.

Child Pornography Charges

Offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children are taken very seriously in the criminal justice system. Child pornography, which may include photographs or videos depicting children who are engaging in sex acts or other sexual conduct, is also known as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) due to the harm that children can suffer when these materials are created. Our lawyer can help address charges related to child pornography, including:

• CSAM Possession: It is illegal to knowingly possess child pornography. These charges may apply if illegal materials are found on a person's computer or other devices or if a search of their property uncovers physical photographs, videotapes, or other forms of child pornography.
• CSAM Distribution: Child pornography charges will be more serious when accusations involve selling or exchanging CSAM with others. These charges may involve uploading materials to websites, sharing CSAM through file sharing services or cloud storage accounts, or otherwise making child pornography available to other people.
• CSAM Production: The most serious child pornography offenses will involve allegations that a person caused or permitted a minor to participate in producing illegal materials. Directly photographing or taking videos of a child in a sexual situation or otherwise allowing a child to engage in the creation of child pornography can lead to severe criminal penalties.

In many cases, a separate offense may be charged for each photograph, video, or digital file uncovered during an investigation. A person could face dozens of counts of child pornography offenses, and the penalties may be added together, leading to a decades-long prison sentence upon conviction. Because these cases will often be based on digital evidence, our attorney can review the searches that were performed, take steps to address illegal searches and seizures, or argue that a person did not knowingly possess or distribute CSAM.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sex Crime Cases