There may be no such thing as a positive criminal charge but nothing may have as ruinous of an effect as being charged with child molestation or other crimes against children. If you are in this position then we highly recommend you contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. If you have not yet been formally charged, it is possible we could prevent charges from being filed.
This is a serious charge that could change your life even if you are not convicted. You need the most qualified attorney on your side. You need Chambers Law Firm. Contact our offices today by calling 714-760-4088 or sending an email to dchambers@clfca.com.
Defining child molestation
According to California law, child molestation involves touch a person who is younger than 14 in an effort to either arouse the sexual desire of the child or of the offender. This is a very broad statute that does not specify bod parts. It is possible for a person to face child molestation charges for doing nothing more than touching the head or arm of a child.
Lewd acts with a child
Child molestation is what is known as a “lewd or lascivious” act. What does that mean? It means that the touching does not have to have involved genitals or even bare skin. In most cases, the only person who can say what the accused’s intent was is the child – and children can be unreliable witnesses. As a result, it is not uncommon for a person to be falsely accused and even convicted.
Potential penalties for crimes involving children
These are known as statutory crimes, which means that consent is irrelevant and cannot be used as a defense. While the worst punishment is often the loss of trust from family and society, a person accused of and convicted of this crime could be facing:
- 8 years in prison
- 10 years in prison if the crime involved force
- As long as 16 years for repeat offenses
- The requirement to register as a sex offender or sexually violent predator for the rest of your life
- The potential for addition charges such as statutory rape or sexual battery
You do have defense options
While it can feel as though your life is ruined the moment you are accused, the truth is that there are defense options. In the event that a person in a position of authority over the child fed them false information, we can expose that lie or mistake. We can work to show that there was no actual contact or that the contact that was made was accidental.
In some cases, a child may blame one person for the actions of another. If we have evidence of this, we can present it to the court. We can also work to find the best possible plea deal. Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to have the charge significantly reduced. Call Chambers Law Firm at 714-760-4088 for your legal consultation.
