Whether you have been arrested or it has come to your attention that you are under investigation, you should contact a Jacksonville criminal defense lawyer immediately. The long-term consequences of sex based crimes can start from the minute you are suspected and the impact can be devastating.

Accusations cause problems

Unfortunately, unlike many other crimes, when a prosecutor arrests someone on any type of a sex crime, it often hits the airwaves. This type of exposure can often result in a rush to judgment. Unlike other criminal behavior, those who are charged with a sex crime often feel the tables are turned and there is a rush to assume they are guilty instead of having the assumption of innocence. This is even worse when the charges that have been lodged against you are false.

Are false reports common?

Unfortunately, some things are not always what they appear to be, especially when it comes to sex crimes. For example, if you were sent an email with provocative photographs and opened them, a forensic investigation of your computer could turn up child pornography. This could result in a felony sex crime charge even if you were unaware the images were considered child pornography.

Other common reasons that false reports get filed include child custody disputes, an adult who had a conversation with a child and coerced an allegation from them, or even after a break-up between two consenting adults. Regardless of whether the report is fabricated or not, you will need a good criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville to ensure your rights are protected and you can defend yourself against these charges.

How is it possible to fight sexual crime charges?

While it may seem like fighting these charges is an uphill battle, your Jacksonville criminal defense lawyer will first talk to you and get all of the information about the charges that were lodged against you. In addition, the attorney will need to know about your entire relationship with the other person involved. These will be the first steps into mounting your defense. Some of the ways to defend against these charges include:

A perfect alibi– when someone falsely accuses you of a sex crime, they often do not think in advance that you might have been in the company of other people or traveling for business. This defense is probably the easiest one to prove and will immediately discredit your accuser.
The spiteful accuser – when your accuser is a disgruntled spouse or a scorned former romantic partner, it may be possible to show they had a motive to lie about these accusations. These types of accusations are incredibly harmful and when the accuser has a reason to “make you pay” they can often be defended easily.
Other accusers– in the event the accuser has a drug problem, alcohol problem or has suffered from mental illness, these things can be used to discredit them in court.

Being convicted of a sex crime is extremely serious and the penalties are very harsh. In addition to losing your rights to ever carry a firearm, your loss of voting rights and life-long registration as a sex offender, you may have trouble with housing and finding a job. These types of charges should never be taken lightly and you should avoid taking any type of lie detector test before you contact a Jacksonville criminal defense attorney. If you are facing any type of sex crime charges, contact James Davis at (904) 358-0420 immediately. Not only is it important you have a strong advocate on your side, but you also need a criminal defense attorney that understands how to defend you against these charges.