Norwalk Risk of Injury to Minors Lawyer
If you were arrested for risk of injury to a minor, it’s important to have a top defense attorney by your side at court. A Norwalk risk of injury to minors lawyer could help protect your rights and fight for a positive resolution to your charges.
What Constitutes Risk of Injury to a Minor?
The crime of risk of injury to minors is defined in Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53-21. This statute describes different types of conduct that can be construed to pose an illegal risk of injury to a minor under the age of 16.
As a Norwalk attorney can attest, the risk of injury statute also prohibits adults from:
- Having contact with the child in a “sexual and indecent manner”
- Committing an act likely to impair the health of a child
- Committing an act likely to impair the morals of a child
- Putting a child in a situation that endangers their life
- Putting a child in a situation likely to injure their health
- Putting a child in a situation likely to injure their morals
- Transferring custody of a child in exchange for money
In many situations, a parent may be charged with risk of injury if a child is present while the parent commits another crime, such as shoplifting. While a shoplifting offense may be a misdemeanor, the risk of injury charge is a serious felony.
What Are the Penalties for Risk of Injury?
Risk of injury is most commonly prosecuted as a C felony. However, if the risk includes sexual contact with a child under 16, it is a more serious B felony.
Class C felonies carry up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, and / or a period of probation. Class B felonies carry up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $15,000, and / or a period of probation.
If you are convicted of risk of injury to a minor involving sexual contact with a child under the age of 13, 5 years of your sentence is mandatory and cannot be suspended.
A Norwalk risk of injury to minors attorney knows that a conviction also creates a criminal record with damaging effects that may last far beyond any term of imprisonment.
Consult a Norwalk Risk of Injury to Minors Attorney
If you were charged with risk of injury to a minor, you need a strong defense. It is a good idea to consult an experienced Norwalk risk of injury to minors lawyer for advice as soon as possible. Our team can advocate on your behalf throughout the process to help reach a positive result for you and your family. Check out what our past clients have to say about working with us and then give the lawyers at Mark Sherman Law a call today to find out how an attorney could help in your situation.