Category: Sex Crimes

3 FAQs About Wisconsin’s Sex Offender Registry

If you have been convicted of a sex crime in Wisconsin, you will most likely have to register as a sex offender on the state’s registry. The sex offender registry is a public resource, which means that law enforcement, current or potential employers, or any other member of the general public can view offenders’ sex crime convictions and whereabouts.

If you have been charged with a sex crime, an experienced sexual assault lawyer may be able to help you avoid consequences such as prison, fines, and sex offender registration. Sex offender registration is a serious social and legal consequence of sex crime convictions, but what exactly is the sex offender registry?

What Is The Sex Offender Registry?

The Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry is housed online and can be accessed by any member of the general public. Typically, registration includes offenders’ identifying information, terms of probation or supervision, a brief description of sex crime convictions, vehicle information, and employment details.

Some apps and websites, such as Family Watchdog, allow users to search for sex offenders by location and can show your residential address relative to schools and other nearby offenders.

What Are Some Of The Consequences Of Sex Offender Registration?

Given that registration details are so easily accessible, employers may use the database to determine your eligibility for certain jobs. While employment discrimination based on your criminal background is technically not permitted in most cases, in practice, many employers still check the sex offender registry before proceeding with a hire.

Sex offender registration may also limit housing opportunities. In many states, registered sex offenders cannot reside near schools, parks, playgrounds, or daycare centers. Depending on the circumstances of the conviction, housing may also be restricted near nursing homes, places of worship, or certain residences. Sex offenders currently living near these locations when convicted may have to relocate as a result of their conviction.

One of the most severe consequences of sex offender registration is social stigmatization. Even if you are not convicted, sex crime charges may be accompanied by similar social consequences. Friends and family members may distance themselves, and exclusion from social clubs or community events is not uncommon for those charged with a sex crime.

What Sex Crimes Require Sex Offender Registration? 

Some sex crime convictions require sex offender registration, while others do not. In Wisconsin, crimes that require sex offender registration include:

  • First, second, or third-degree sexual assault of an adult
  • First or second-degree sexual assault of a child
  • Repeated acts of sexual assault of the same child
  • Sexual exploitation by a therapist
  • Sexual exploitation of a child
  • Child trafficking
  • Forcing a child to be exposed to sexual activity
  • Incest involving a child
  • Child enticement
  • Using a computer to commit a child sex crime
  • Soliciting a child for prostitution
  • Child pornography possession

Your best option to combat the employment, housing, and social discrimination that accompanies sex offender registration is to retain a lawyer to help prove your innocence in court. An experienced sex crimes attorney will fight aggressively to protect your rights and demonstrate to the judge and jury that you do not belong on the sex offender registry.

Sex Crimes Accusations Nearly as Damaging as a Conviction

Being charged with any crime is a shocking and scary experience. However, not all criminal charges are equal in their ability to derail your personal and professional life. Being accused or charged of a sex crime like sexual assault, solicitation of a minor, possession of child pornography – let alone convicted – can do immense harm to your personal reputation and future prospects.

Because of the serious nature of such offenses there is a tendency for the general public to set aside the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” when accusations of sex crimes arise. With your personal reputation facing damage right from the get-go, it is crucial to seek the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as you are accused, questioned or charged with a sexually-based offense.

The following tips are important to abide by after being accused of a sex crime:

  • DO NOT speak to the police: Anything you say can and will be used against you as the prosecution builds a case for putting you behind bars and onto the sex offender registry
  • DO speak to an attorney: Your attorney can handle interactions with investigators and prosecutors while you do your best to stay out of the spotlight.
  • DO NOT talk to your accuser: You cannot talk your way out of this and trying to will only make things harder on you and your defense attorney.
  • DO tell your side of the story to your attorney: Your attorney can hire an investigator to speak to witnesses in your case to try to confirm your version of events and discover facts that undercut the prosecution’s case.

When sex crimes are involved, it is best to get in touch with a defense attorney and leave the rest to them.

Sex Crimes Defense Cannot Wait

Early intervention is key in all criminal defense matters, but it can be argued that it is the most crucial when it comes to sex crimes defense.

You are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, but waiting for the legal process to run its course in a sex crimes case can result in irreparable harm to your personal reputation, your standing in the community and your future opportunities.

Accusations Alone Can Damage You

Being accused of a crime such as rape or child molestation is a nightmare. The accusation – let alone actual criminal charges – can turn your life upside down. The general public often rushes to judgment when sex crimes are alleged to have occurred. It does not matter whether this comes from a place of sensationalism and gossip or from a genuine desire to help victims. If you are accused of committing a sex crime you need to have a lawyer looking out for your interests right away.

There Is No Need to Wait For Charges

Do not talk if a detective shows up with questions about a potential sex crime. If you have reason to believe you are under investigation it is time to seek the advice of a proven sex crimes defense lawyer. Anything you say can and will be used against you by law enforcement and the prosecution.

Early intervention by an attorney can help you avoid charges altogether or provide an opportunity to negotiate a plea agreement for a lesser offense.

The bottom line: time is not on your side if you face sex crimes charges. You need to be proactive in protecting your reputation, your rights and your future.

Can an Attorney Defend You Against Child Enticement Charges in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin’s child enticement law applies to more than just engaging or intending to engage in sexual acts with a minor. You could also face a charge for allegedly causing a child mental harm, giving a child a controlled substance, or intending to do either one of these. These charges are serious and require the help of an expert Wisconsin criminal defense attorney who can fight for you in court.

What the State Must Prove

Though the law states that intent is enough to prove guilt, the prosecutors still must prove intent. They must demonstrate that you planned to:

  • Lure a minor into a secluded area, building or vehicle
  • Engage in sexual acts with a minor, such as intercourse, sexual organ exposure, prostitution or filming sexual acts performed by a minor
  • Cause a child mental harm
  • Give a child a drug

Child enticement is often charged along with charges of sexual assault of a minor. Securing a criminal defense attorney who has experience with winning these cases can help you avoid the associated severe penalties.

What the Penalties Are

If you are convicted of child enticement in Wisconsin, you face penalties that could drastically alter your future, impacting every area of your life. Child enticement is considered a Class D felony, which carries with it penalties of up to $100,000, up to 25 years in prison, and mandatory registration as a sex offender.

What the Best Defense Entails

A Wisconsin criminal defense lawyer who understands child enticement laws can help you fight these charges in court. Defending these charges often involves:

  • Discrediting witness accounts and testimonies
  • Arguing that you were entrapped
  • Establishing that you had no intent of committing child enticement acts

In order to successfully beat child enticement charges, it is necessary to have experience behind you each step of the way.

Where To Find Wisconsin Criminal Defense Attorneys

Attorney Jeffery Kippa and his team offer clients a fighting chance in court. We are serious about getting you the best possible outcomes for your case, using every available means. Contact us today, so we can guide you through this process.

Consequences of Wisconsin Sex Crime Conviction

If you are charged with “use of a computer to facilitate a sex crime” in Wisconsin, the consequences are not subtle. The penalties of a conviction include the requirement to register as a sex offender, which places numerous limitations on your personal and professional life. Seeking the aid of a lawyer if you are charged with this crime is crucial. Attorney Jeffrey Kippa understands the technical issues that are involved in these cases.

Link to More Information

Possession of Child Pornography in Wisconsin

According to the Wisconsin Statutes, in order to be penalized for possession of child pornography, the following circumstances must be present:

  • You are aware that you possessed the material
  • You are aware, or should reasonably be aware, that the material “contains depictions of sexually explicit conduct”
  • You are aware, or should reasonably be aware, that the person in the material is less than 18 years old

If you are charged with possession of child pornography, contact J. Kippa Law Office LLC. There are multiple possible defenses to this charge. However, if convicted, there are also multiple harsh consequences. Maximize your chances of avoiding conviction by contacting our firm.

Link to Wisconsin Statutes

Sexual Assault of a Child in Wisconsin Considered Felony Charges

Wisconsin law always considers sexual contact or intercourse with an individual under the age of 16 as a felony charge. 

First-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child

First-degree sexual assault is a Class A felony if the defendant has sexual intercourse or sexual contact with an individual who is under the age of 13, and the victim suffers great bodily harm. This is the most serious sexual assault charge.

However, first-degree sexual assault is a Class B felony in Wisconsin in these cases:

  • The defendant has sexual intercourse with someone who is under the age of 12
  • The defendant has sexual intercourse with someone who is under the age of 16 by use of violence, or the threat of violence
  • The defendant has sexual intercourse with someone who is under the age of 16 by use of violence or the threat of violence, and the defendant is at least 18 years old when the act occurs
  • The defendant has sexual intercourse or sexual contact with someone who is under the age of 13

 

When considering the existing first-degree sexual assault of a minor laws in Wisconsin, it becomes clear that the legislature considers the most sexual assault offense against a child to be one involving bodily harm and young children.

Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child

If the defendant has sexual contact or intercourse with someone who is under the age of 16, then it is considered second-degree sexual assault and is a Class C felony.

Hire Experience

If you or someone you know has been charged with the sexual assault of a child in Wisconsin, now is not the time to hire an attorney who is unproven.  The criminal defense attorneys at J. Kippa Law have vast experience in handling the sensitive nature of these types of cases.  Call us for a free consultation at 920-731-1100 or fill out our contact form.

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