Understanding Sex Crime Charges
Being charged with a sex crime in Arizona is a serious matter with potentially life-altering consequences. To ensure the best possible outcome in your case, it’s imperative that you speak with an attorney as soon as possible. If you are arrested, remember that you have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, and you should exercise those rights immediately.
It’s crucial to work with a defense attorney who understands Arizona sex offender laws and can help you navigate the legal system to reduce your risk of facing the harshest penalties under the law. Our Criminal Defense team at JacksonWhite Law has decades of experience in advocating for our clients to protect them against some of the harshest penalties under the law.
Sex Crimes in Arizona
According to Arizona sex offender laws, a sex crime in the state is any criminal act that involves non-consensual or forced physical intimacy with another person. This definition can encompass a wide range of crimes, from prostitution to sexual assault. Many of these crimes come with strong charges that can stay on your record for life.
There are a number of criminal charges in Arizona that are considered sex crimes and may require registration with the state’s sex offender registry. Examples include:
- Unlawful imprisonment
- Kidnapping (with intent to inflict sexual abuse)
- Indecent exposure
- Public sexual indecency
- Sexual abuse and sexual assault
- Sexual conduct with a minor
- Child molestation
- Distribution, possession, or creation of child pornography
- Bestiality
- Continuous sexual abuse of a child
- Sexual misconduct by licensed professionals
- Unlawful sexual conduct
- Internet sex crimes
- Violent sexual assault
- Voyeurism
- Unlawful disclosure of explicit images
- Taking a child for the purpose of prostitution
- Child sex trafficking
- Commercial sexual exploitation of a minor
- Sexual exploitation of a minor
- Luring a minor for sexual exploitation
Potential sentencing for these crimes varies depending on the nature of the crime, ranging from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies and imposed lifetime sex offender restrictions. Some cases may require as little as a fine or completion of an educational course, while others can carry lengthy prison sentences, from a few months to life in prison. In any case, an experienced criminal attorney at JacksonWhite Law can help negotiate the best possible outcome under the circumstances of your case.
Registration
Arizona’s Department of Public Safety maintains a public sex offender registry and requires local governments and law enforcement agencies to report convicted offenders to the DPS within 72 hours of their release. The initial report includes the sex offender’s identifying information, release date, and risk assessment.
An individual convicted has ten days to register with the DPS from release from custody. Failure to do so can result in a class 4 felony and jail time. There are no limits on how long a convicted offender can remain on the registry.
Having the support of an attorney can ensure that you follow the appropriate guidelines for registering and remaining in compliance with state laws. Our team at JacksonWhite can help you ensure you have the guidance necessary to align with state requirements and avoid further penalties.
Notification
If you’ve been charged with a level 2 or 3 sex offense, you may be required to notify your local community. Notification procedures can include disseminating a flyer to the surrounding neighborhood, schools, prospective employers, and appropriate community groups within 45 days. If you move, you will be required to update local law enforcement and the state registry, as well as notify the new surrounding community.
Level 1 sex offenders in Arizona do not have to follow this requirement. In some cases, convicted individuals have the right to request a hearing to defer or terminate notification.
An attorney can support you in ensuring you understand your obligations for notification, follow the necessary procedures to remain in compliance with the law, and also provide guidance for seeking a termination of notifications.
Can You Have a Sex Crime Conviction Set Aside?
Arizona law allows many convicted criminals to have their judgment set aside and be released from all penalties resulting from the conviction, provided they fulfill the conditions of their probation or sentence and have been discharged by the court.
While this doesn’t expunge your criminal record, having the court vacate your conviction may make it easier to get a job and start a new chapter in your life. It also restores civil liberties that were revoked due to your conviction, such as the right to vote or carry a concealed weapon.
Unfortunately, the law includes a caveat for sex offenders, as crimes that require registration as a sex offender or involving sexual motivation are barred from having their conviction set aside under ARS 13-907.
Still, a skilled attorney may be able to work with the judge and prosecutor to lower the penalties for your crime. That may include a plea deal for a lesser charge or an effective appeal to the judge for a lighter sentence for a first-time offense.
The Benefits of Hiring a Sex Crime Lawyer in Arizona
When charged with a sex crime in Arizona, the prosecution is likely to pursue the harshest possible charges in a conviction. If you are facing a potential conviction, having an attorney by your side is a valuable resource for advocating for your rights in court and building the strongest possible defense.
Without a skilled attorney, you are at a severe disadvantage against a ruthless prosecution and at risk of facing the harshest penalties under the law. Our attorneys at JacksonWhite Law can support you in your case, from seeking reduced charges to ensuring that you remain in compliance with applicable legal requirements.
Some of the benefits of working with our attorneys include:
- Specialized knowledge – We deeply understand the laws and regulations surrounding sex crimes as well as how to navigate the legal process, offering you valuable guidance to overcome the charges against you.
- Protection of rights – With our legal experience, we’ll ensure that your inalienable legal rights are protected throughout the process and that the prosecution does not take advantage of you.
- Strategic defense – Using our understanding of your case and our legal defense strategies, we’ll help you build a defense that makes sense for your situation and increases your chances of reduced charges.
- Minimize consequences – A skilled criminal defense attorney will build a defense and utilize all possible avenues to seek either reduced consequences or alternative sentences that avoid harsh fines or jail sentences.
- Emotional support – Facing criminal charges can be a difficult and alienating experience, so an empathetic attorney can provide a form of support to lean on while working together to fight your charges.
- Investigation skills – We use our vast investigative skills to uncover evidence that supports your defense or invalidates the evidence presented by the prosecution.
- Courtroom experience – Our extensive courtroom experience equips us to represent you and argue a compelling case before the court to increase your chances of an acquittal or reduced consequences.
All together, an attorney is a crucial partner to have throughout the legal process so that you can more easily navigate the court system and build the strongest possible defense. If you’re facing a charge for a sex crime, contact our attorneys at JacksonWhite Law to discuss how we can help.
JacksonWhite Handles Sex Crime Cases
Our team at JacksonWhite takes a thoughtful, strategic approach to sex crime cases to support our clients in facing a prosecution seeking the harshest possible charges. By working closely with our clients, we offer them crucial legal guidance and valuable peace of mind.
We begin each case with a free consultation to understand the full details of your case and the charges being placed against you. We’ll use this opportunity to discuss your options and determine the best path forward given the circumstances.
From there, we’ll take each of the following steps:
- Investigation – We’ll conduct a thorough investigation, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and assessing the strength of the prosecution’s case to fully understand your case and determine the best path forward.
- Defense strategy – Using our understanding of your case, we’ll develop a tailored defense strategy that maximizes your chances of reduced or dropped charges.
- Negotiation – When possible, our attorneys will negotiate with the prosecution outside of court to seek a plea deal that brings you a more favorable outcome with reduced consequences.
- Court representation – Using our understanding of your case, we’ll represent you in all court proceedings and hearings to advocate for your rights and present a strong defense.
- Appeals – If necessary, our attorneys will assist you in crafting an appeal to challenge an undesired outcome and support you in seeking justice.
Above all else, we approach each case with compassion and understanding to help you navigate a complex legal system and seek the best possible outcome for your case. Whether you were charged with a crime as an Arizona resident or you were visiting from out of state, our attorneys can guide you through the legal process and advocate for reduced charges.
Potential Defenses Against Sex Crime Charges
If you are facing a sex crime charge, you need a strong defense to strike down the prosecution’s case and delegitimize the evidence presented against you. Our attorneys at JacksonWhite have decades of experience in fighting criminal charges, helping us understand the best possible defenses we can use in each case to maximize your chances of dropped or reduced charges.
Some of the defenses our attorneys at JacksonWhite can use to support you include:
- Consent – If the alleged victim, in fact, consented to the sexual activity, we can build a defense around this to argue for your charges to be dropped.
- False accusation – Depending on the circumstances of the case, our attorneys may be able to argue that the accusation is false or motivated by ulterior motives like revenge or manipulation.
- Mistaken identity – In cases where you were wrongly identified as the perpetrator, our attorneys will build a defense and gather evidence to express your innocence.
- Lack of evidence – If the evidence presented by the prosecutor is insufficient or unreliable, we’ll highlight this in our defense to seek reduced or dropped charges.
- Alibi – If you were not actually present at the scene when the alleged crime occurred, we can use evidence of your actual location to defend you.
- Constitutional violations – If a defendant’s rights are violated during an investigation or arrest, such as an illegal search or a failure to read one’s Miranda rights, this can be used as a defense to have charges dropped.
- Mental incapacity – In cases where a defendant was not mentally capable of understanding their actions at the time of the alleged crime, this argument can be used to seek a dismissal of charges or alternative sentencing.
The potential defenses you can use in your favor are heavily dependent on the unique circumstances of your case. Schedule a free consultation with our team at JacksonWhite to learn more about how we can build you a reasonable defense that makes the most sense for your situation.
What Results Can You Expect If You Hire JacksonWhite?
If you are facing an accusation or a charge for a sex crime in Arizona, it’s important to have a skilled criminal defense attorney by your side. Our attorneys at JacksonWhite have invaluable experience in and out of the courtroom, preparing us to advocate for your rights and build a defense in pursuit of the best possible result for your circumstances.
Using our experience, our attorneys can help you achieve all the following results:
- Dismissal of charges – If we discover a lack of evidence or procedural errors in your case, we’ll argue for the charges to be dismissed without taking up any further unnecessary time in legal proceedings.
- Reduced charges – Even if you face a conviction, our attorneys can help you secure reduced charges or a more lenient sentence by building a case through courtroom argumentation or negotiations.
- Acquittal – With a strong defense and a dismantling of the prosecution’s case, our attorneys can support you in seeking a not-guilty verdict to relieve you of all charges.
- Alternative sentencing – Our attorneys can help you build a case to seek an alternative sentence to avoid incarceration, such as probation, community service, or rehabilitation programs.
- Post-conviction relief – If you are convicted of a sex offense, our attorneys will help you navigate the legal system to file an appeal or seek post-conviction relief with the goal of overturning or modifying the outcome.
All together, our attorneys are well-equipped to support you in pursuing the best possible outcome in your case. We’ll work tirelessly to advocate for you in court and increase your chances of avoiding the harshest penalties under the law.
Don’t Let a Sex Crime Derail Your Future
Arizona sex offender laws outline harsh penalties for convicted offenders that can stay on your record for life. If you are facing a charge, you shouldn’t try to fight it alone—working with an experienced criminal defense attorney can help you reduce your chances of facing harsh penalties against a ruthless prosecution.
If you have been charged or accused of a sex crime in Arizona, contact our criminal defense attorneys at JacksonWhite. Our team, led by Jeremy Geigle, has decades of experience in successfully defending clients against criminal charges. We have the knowledge, experience, and skills to advocate for your rights in court and seek a minimized sentence.
Contact a JacksonWhite sex crime defense lawyer to set up a free consultation to determine the best tactics to fight your charge. Call our Criminal Law team at (480) 351-0015 to discuss your case today.
