Portland Sex Crime Defense Lawyers

Frequently Asked Questions: Sex Crimes

What is a sex crime?

A sex crime is a criminal offense involving a sexual act or an offense which is sexual in nature. Many sex crimes involve forced or unwanted sexual activity or sexual actions with a person who is unable to give consent. Other sex crimes may involve the exchange of sex for money or exposing oneself in public.

What are some examples of sex crime cases that your firm can handle?

The Portland sex crime attorneys at our criminal defense law firm take on all types of sex crime cases throughout Portland and the surrounding areas in Oregon, including such offenses as child abuse, molestation, rape, indecent exposure, prostitution, failure to register, sexual assault, statutory rape, date rape and exploitation.

What is sex offender registration?

Sex offender registration involves a system used for law enforcement to track sex offenders throughout the state. The sex offender must register with local law enforcement at regular intervals. In some cases, a sex offender will not be allowed to live within a certain distance of schools or playgrounds and may not be able to obtain particular professional licenses. The majority of Portland sex crime sentences mandate sex offender registration, sometimes for life.

What are some of the penalties associated with a Portland, Oregon sex crime conviction?

Imprisonment in county jail or state prison, fines, probation, community service, rehabilitation or counseling and registration as a sex offender are all penalties which may be associated with a Portland sex crime conviction. Specific penalties will vary depending upon the crime itself, the age of the victim, whether injury occurred and more.

I was falsely accused. Can an attorney help me?

An attorney is absolutely necessary, even if you were falsely accused of a sex crime and there is little or no physical evidence tying you to the crime. An experienced Portland sex crime lawyer will know what approach to take and how to prove to prosecutors and a judge and jury that you were falsely accused. Conducting an independent investigation into the circumstances of the charges, proving the grounds for the false accusation and making the lack of evidence apparent are all ways that a lawyer can help.

If there’s physical evidence against me, isn’t my case helpless?

Even if there is DNA evidence or fingerprints tying you to the commission of a sex crime, there is still much that a criminal defense attorney can do to help you avoid maximum penalties and even a conviction altogether. For example, in some cases evidence may have been mishandled or obtained in a manner which violated your constitutional rights, and this can be used in your favor in court proceedings.

Contact a Portland sex crime defense lawyer at our firm today!