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.
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 in Norwalk?
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. A criminal defense lawyer could 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.