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.
