Wilton Sex Crimes Lawyer
If were recently charged with a sex-related criminal offense, help is available in the form of a knowledgeable and dedicated Wilton sex crimes lawyer. No matter what your alleged offense may be, a top criminal defense attorney can provide you the help you need.
How Does Connecticut Define Criminal Sexual Acts?
Connecticut state law defines various degree of sexual assault a person in Wilton can commit, with first-degree being the most severe and fourth-degree being the least severe. Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-70 states that first-degree sexual assault will be prosecuted as a class B felony in most situations or a class A felony if it involves a minor, whereas fourth-degree sexual assault that does not involve a minor is comparatively only a class A misdemeanor.
How Does the State Regard Prostitution and Solicitation?
Prostitution and solicitation are separated defined as class A misdemeanor offenses in C.G.S. §§53a-82 and 53a-83, respectively. Promoting prostitution to any degree is considered a felony offense, though, as is commercial abuse and/or exploitation of a minor for the purposes of prostitution.
Finally, C.G.S. §53a-90a makes it a class D felony for someone with no prior offenses to use an “interactive computer service” to attempt to engage in sexual contact or intercourse with a person they either know or believe to be a minor. A second offense is upgraded to be a class C felony, and subsequent offenses are prosecuted as class B felonies.
Any of these offenses—even misdemeanors—may result in significant fines and jail time if a defendant is convicted of committing them. In light of that, going without representation from a seasoned Wilton sex crimes attorney would be to the detriment of anyone dealing with such allegations against them.
How Does Consent Affect Criminal Sex Charges?
Consent plays a central role in whether an action qualifies as sexual assault in Connecticut and, in some cases, how severely it may be punished upon conviction. Accordingly, one of the most important things to understand about sex-based offenses in Wilton—even before contacting a sex crimes lawyer—is how state law specifically defines “consent.”
Beyond just forcing sexual intercourse with someone who did not want to have sex, Connecticut state law also considers sexual contact or intercourse with someone who is impaired or incapacitated in any way—physically or mentally—to be an act of sexual assault. In addition, no one under the age of 16 in Connecticut can consent to any sexual contact with an adult under any circumstances, so any such encounter would always be considered statutory rape, and therefore a form of sexual assault.
That being said, the question of whether consent was given or whether someone was incapacitated does not always have an immediately apparent answer in every situation. If these kinds of questions impact a case, it may be important to have a Wilton attorney work to address them on a defendant’s behalf.
Speak With a Wilton Sex Crimes Attorney Today
If you have been charged recently with a sex crime, a Wilton sex crimes lawyer can stand by your side throughout every stage of your case, working tirelessly to pursue a positive outcome on your behalf. Call Mark Sherman Law today to schedule a consultation and discuss how a skilled attorney can help you.