San Diego Sex Crimes Lawyer & Attorney

If you have been arrested and charged with a sex crime in San Diego, you face an extremely stressful and difficult situation. Depending on the circumstances, you could face significant prison time if you are convicted, and these cases are always difficult to both prosecute and defend because of the emotionally traumatic nature of such issues.

Sex crimes also encompass a wide range of alleged offenses, but one common thread with each of them is that juries are human, and when they hear the specifics of an alleged sexual crime, the result can be extremely upsetting and lead to a decision based on emotion as much as proper application of the law.

This all means that before you attempt to simply handle a matter this serious by yourself, you need to contact a San Diego sex crimes lawyer at Kerry Steigerwalt & Associates immediately to schedule an initial consultation. You'll need the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney to make sure that your rights are properly asserted and that no unduly prejudicial evidence is admitted for the jury to consider if your matter should proceed to trial.

Below is a brief look at a few of the types of charges that exist within the realm of sex crimes.

Rape Charges - Section 220 of the California Penal Code:

Rape, which is sometimes called sexual assault, is generally defined as forcible sexual contact that occurs without permission, but there are several particular charges that could result from a situation, including:

• Rape
• Date Rape
• Statutory Rape
• Sodomy

Each of these charges can carry significant prison time upon a conviction.

Consensual Act Charges:

Not all sex crimes involve the forcing of a sexual act on another without the alleged victim's permission. Some criminal acts are entirely voluntary, and a few examples include:

• Lewd and Lascivious Conduct
• Obscenity
• Prostitution

While these acts are generally not seen as violent in nature, they are all charges whereby a conviction can result in prison time, and like any criminal charge, each situation requires a vigorous defense.

If you have been charged with any sort of sex crime in San Diego, you need immediate legal help. Contact a criminal defense lawyer at Kerry Steigerwalt & Associates today to begin the process of defending your rights.