325-241-2868Abilene Sex Crime Attorneys
Sex crime allegations must be taken seriously and dealt with swiftly. If you are charged with a sex crime in Taylor County, don’t discuss your case with anyone except an experienced Abilene sex crimes attorney at Barrett Legal PLLC.
These charges carry a strong social stigma even before you enter a courtroom. Facing prosecution in West Texas means going up against prosecutors who seek the maximum penalties, including mandatory prison terms and lifelong registration as a sex offender. If you are charged with a sex crime, promptly contact Barrett Legal PLLC.
A sex crime charge requires an aggressive defense strategy from the beginning. Whether facing high-level felony charges or lesser accusations, the decisions you make immediately following an arrest will determine your future. An Abilene sex crimes lawyer at Barrett Legal PLLC can stand between you and the full power of the state to fight for your freedom, your reputation, and your rights.
Call Barrett Legal PLLC at 325-241-2868 to discuss your case during a free consultation. Don’t speak to investigators or police officers without our criminal defense team at your side.
Texas Sex Crime Statutes and Legal Definitions
Texas imposes severe penalties for sex crime convictions and classifies most sex crimes as serious felonies. Prosecutors must prove every element of an alleged crime to win a conviction. Understanding the charge is the first step in constructing an effective defense.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is the non-consensual penetration of someone’s anus or sexual organ. The charge applies to the use of threats, force, or circumstances where the purported victim cannot consent because of mental or physical incapacity or impairment.
In Texas, sexual assault is usually charged as a second-degree felony. Convictions carry penalties ranging from 2 to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Aggravated Sexual Assault
Texas elevates sexual assault to aggravated sexual assault when specific aggravating factors are involved. These include causing serious bodily injury or attempting to cause the death of the victim, using or exhibiting a deadly weapon, or committing the offense against a child under 14 years of age.
Aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree felony. A conviction carries a potential penalty of 5 to 99 years or life in prison. Certain cases involving young minors carry a mandatory minimum term of 25 years in prison.
Indecency with a Child
In Texas, indecency with a child occurs when an adult has sexual contact with a person under 17 years of age or exposes their genitals to arouse or gratify sexual desire. Allegations of child molestation or improper contact with minors fall under this statute. Depending on whether the act involved touching or exposure, indecency with a child is charged as a second-degree or third-degree felony.
Indecent Exposure
The exposure of one’s sex organs or anus to gratify or arouse sexual desire, while not caring about whether another person present may be alarmed or disturbed, constitutes indecent exposure in this state.
Indecent exposure is usually a Class B misdemeanor. Convictions are penalized with up to 180 days in a Texas county jail and fines of up to $2,000. Repeated convictions elevate the charge to a more serious misdemeanor or a state jail felony.
Online Solicitation of a Minor
The online solicitation of minors uses text messages, email, social media, or online chat rooms to communicate with a minor or someone thought to be a minor to arrange illegal sexual activity.
Depending on the minor’s age and the nature of the communication, these crimes are charged as third-degree or second-degree felonies.
Statutory Rape
Texas law does not use the phrase statutory rape, but it is a crime to engage in a sexual act with anyone under 17 years old, regardless of whether consent was expressed, because under Texas law, minors are legally incapable of granting consent. Exceptions exist for consensual activity between individuals close in age, which a defense attorney can evaluate when reviewing your case.
Prostitution and Related Offenses
Offering or agreeing to pay a fee for a sexual act constitutes solicitation of prostitution. Soliciting prostitution is now charged as a state jail felony even for first-time offenders.
Penalties and Sex Offender Registration
Texas criminal law establishes strict sentencing ranges for felony and misdemeanor sex crimes:
Sex Offender Registration Requirements
Depending on the specifics of the conviction, mandatory registration with the Texas Sex Offender Registry lasts for 10 years or life. Registered offenders face public disclosure of their home address and prohibitions against living near parks, schools, or daycare centers.
Texas sex offenders sentenced to probation must submit to polygraph exams, counseling, electronic monitoring, and travel restrictions. Failure to satisfy the terms of probation or the registration rules can result in a new felony charge.
Defense Strategies Against Sex Crime Allegations
Barrett Legal PLLC examines every aspect of the state’s case to identify weaknesses and build an aggressive, effective defense strategy. Prevailing against a sex crime charge requires immediate action by a defense attorney, a full investigation, and dedicated advocacy.
Exposing False Accusations
Fabricated sex crime accusations can be made in divorce proceedings, child custody battles, breakups, and other legal conflicts. We investigate the accusers, study communication records, and uncover inconsistencies in their statements to indicate a motivation to fabricate allegations.
Establishing Consent
When a sexual assault case involves adults, we can review texts, social media posts, phone records, and witness testimony to cast doubt on an accuser’s credibility.
Challenging Forensic and Physical Evidence
The attorneys at Barrett Legal PLLC scrutinize collection methods, chain-of-custody transfers, and lab results. If the police improperly gather evidence or conduct an illegal search without a valid warrant, we can file a motion to suppress illegally gathered evidence.
Digital Sex Crimes
We can work with experts to examine network routers, IP addresses, hard drives, and mobile devices. Demonstrating that someone else accessed a network or that software was used without the owner’s consent provides genuine leverage when challenging a digital-related sex crime charge.
In many cases, early intervention allows us to present counter-evidence to prosecutors before formal grand jury proceedings, and we can seek to have charges reduced or completely dismissed before a trial.
The Legal Process in Taylor County Courts
Sex crime cases in Taylor County follow this process through the local court system:
Arrest and Booking
Following an arrest, suspects are booked into the Taylor County Jail in Abilene. A magistrate judge sets initial bail conditions, which may include restrictive no-contact orders or GPS monitoring.
Grand Jury Proceedings and District Courts
Felony sex offense charges must be presented to a Taylor County grand jury for indictment. In Abilene, felony cases are assigned to the 42nd, 104th, or 350th Judicial District Courts at the Taylor County Courthouse on Oak Street. Our defense attorneys use the pre-indictment phase to compile exculpatory evidence and negotiate directly with Taylor County prosecutors.
Motion Practice and Trial
The defense lawyers at Barrett Legal PLLC challenge wrongful arrests and coerced statements. We fight to suppress prejudicial evidence. If the state refuses to dismiss a baseless sex crime charge or to offer an acceptable plea resolution, we can take your case to trial before a Taylor County jury and fight for your acquittal.
Meet the Team at Barrett Legal PLLC
Barrett Legal PLLC proudly represents clients and maintains law offices across Texas to fight for individuals facing serious criminal charges. We don’t wait for prosecutors to dictate the terms of your case. We can launch an independent investigation, interview key witnesses, and challenge the state’s evidence at every turn.
The defense attorneys at Barrett Legal PLLC approach each case as a team, bringing all-encompassing strategic resources to fight for a favorable resolution.
Don’t allow a sex crime arrest or investigation to destroy your future. The earlier Barrett Legal PLLC intervenes in your case, the more opportunities we have to protect your rights, challenge the state’s evidence, and fight to keep you free. Call Barrett Legal PLLC at 325-241-2868 to schedule your initial consultation.