Sexual misconduct accusations are devastating. They can carry jail or prison time, require sex offender registration, and affect your career and personal life for decades to come. Do not face these charges alone. Instead, let the sexual misconduct lawyers in Los Angeles at Simmrin Law Group take on your case.
We have an experienced team of California defense attorneys, and we know how to win criminal lawsuits. Our lawyers will fight to attain the most favorable outcome for your charges. Start by scheduling a free sexual misconduct consultation to examine the details of your case and review your legal options.
What Is Sexual Misconduct?
Sexual misconduct is not one distinct offense. Instead, it is an umbrella term referring to a variety of sex crimes. Therefore, you will not find a separate charge for sexual misconduct in any California legal codes.
Essentially, sexual misconduct refers to a situation where a person uses violence, power, control, or intimidation to sexually abuse another individual. It can range from domestic violence between a husband and wife to sexual harassment between two work colleagues.
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Understanding the Types of Sexual Misconduct Crimes
Since sexual misconduct is an umbrella term, there are many different types of sexual misconduct crimes. Some of the most common ones that our skilled Los Angeles sexual misconduct attorneys handle are sexual harassment, sexual battery, rape, prostitution, lewd conduct, and sex crimes involving individuals under 18.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment constitutes all unwelcome and sexually motivated verbal, visual, or physical conduct in the workplace. Prohibited actions include:
- Unwanted physical contact
- Persistent staring or leering
- Making frequent sexual remarks, gestures, or jokes (in-person or online)
- Asking employees or colleagues about their sex lives
- Continuously asking an employee out on dates
- Spreading sexual rumors
There are two types of workplace sexual harassment cases: quid pro quo and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo involves trading sexual favors for workplace advancements and job opportunities. A hostile work environment (HWE) occurs when pervasive harassment makes the employee uncomfortable, intimidated, or unable to perform their job duties.
Sexual harassment claims can be challenging to navigate, and false accusations do occur. But by partnering with an experienced sexual harassment lawyer, you can fight off charges and protect your reputation.
Sexual Battery
Under California Penal Code 243.4 PC, sexual battery charges include any inappropriate or unwelcome sexual touching. A person may use violence, restraints, or coercion to touch another person’s intimate body party. In California, intimate body parts include the:
- Anus
- Groin
- Breasts
- Buttocks
- Sexual organs
Sexual battery crimes are severe and often lead to felony charges. If you receive sexual battery accusations in Los Angeles, you need a qualified sex crimes lawyer in your corner. Legal defenders can review the details of your case and fight to minimize or dismiss all your charges.
Rape
Rape occurs when vaginal or penile intercourse occurs with a person unwilling to or mentally unable to provide consent. It typically involves force, coercion, fraud, duress, or mind-altering substances.
In California, consent is positive cooperation in an act that exercises a person’s free will. The legal age of consent in California is 18, therefore, anyone under 18 cannot legally provide consent for sexual intercourse. If intercourse occurs with a minor, you may face statutory rape charges, another form of sexual misconduct.
Rape can lead to harsh penalties, including jail time and permanent registration on California’s sex offender list. To avoid these punishments, work with a well-versed criminal defense lawyer.
Prostitution and Solicitation of a Prostitute
Prostitution is not legal in California, and sexual misconduct includes all forms of prostitution, including solicitation. That means you may face sex crime charges for simply agreeing to meet a prostitute or offering money to a prostitute.
Prostitution charges severely damage your reputation. If you face any charge involving prostitution misconduct, let a professional criminal defense lawyer represent your case.
Lewd Conduct
The state of California prohibits lewd conduct in public. Lewd conduct constitutes touching your own or another individual’s intimate body parts for sexual gratification when people who may be offended by the actions are present.
This type of sexual misconduct leads to misdemeanor charges. A conviction can result in six months of jail or $1,000 in fines. However, in many cases, these charges get diminished to lesser offenses. To ensure you get your lewd conduct charges reduced, partner with an experienced sexual misconduct lawyer.
Sexual Misconduct Involving Minors
Sexual misconduct charges include sexual actions with individuals under the age of 18. In California, all sexual conduct involving minors is illegal, regardless if there was consent. The only exception is if the minor is your lawful spouse.
If you are facing charges for being sexually involved with a minor, you need a skilled defense lawyer fighting for you. A criminal defender will determine a viable defense, raise doubt about your behaviors, and fight to get your charges reduced or dropped altogether.
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What Should I Say to the Police If Charged With a Sex Crime?
When facing sexual misconduct accusations, the police are not on your side. If law enforcement is investigating your behavior, they already believe you committed a crime. Therefore, never try to talk your way out of a sexual misconduct allegation. Nothing you say will bolster your innocence, and your words will be used against you by the prosecuting team.
The same line of thinking applies to talking to other people involved in the case. Never reach out to the alleged victim, their lawyer, or witnesses without the guidance of an attorney. You have the right to plead the fifth, politely decline interviews, and remain silent.
Our sexual misconduct lawyers in Los Angeles can advise you through these processes and prevent you from accidentally incriminating yourself during an interview. Our legal team helps clients throughout every step of the legal process, and we are not afraid to stand up to law enforcement or the prosecuting team.
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What If I Was Falsely Accused of Sexual Misconduct?
Unfortunately, fake sexual misconduct allegations are all-too-common. In some cases, false accusations are malicious and intended for retaliation. These types of cases most often occur when the prosecuting party is:
- Trying to avoid blame for something (such as cheating on their partner)
- Pursuing revenge
- Trying to leverage a divorce or child custody
- Seeking attention (this is especially common with younger sexual misconduct accusers)
Even if the accusations are proven false, a high-profile case could lead to life-long reputation losses. Therefore, you need a skilled defense team who can provide a thorough investigation and clear your name quickly.
If the sexual allegations are false, there are holes in the evidence, and our team will find them. We will conduct interviews and gather evidence to demonstrate inconsistencies in the prosecuting team’s description and prove what actually happened.
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Sexual Misconduct Punishments in California
Each type of sex crime has specific penalties. Depending on the type of sexual misconduct that occurred, you might face:
- Misdemeanor charges: Misdemeanors usually include up to one year in county jail and fines.
- Felony charges: A felony conviction can result in a minimum of 16 months behind bars (usually in a California state prison) and thousands in fees.
- Sex offender registration: You may receive lifetime or temporary registration on a California sex offender list. Your name, photo, address, and the sexual offense will be public knowledge to everyone in your community.
In addition, a victim may sue for sexual misconduct. Therefore, besides jail time and state fees, you may also have to pay restitution for your sex crime conviction.
How to Fight Sexual Misconduct Charges in Los Angeles
If you are facing sex crime charges, you have legal options. And our Los Angeles sexual misconduct attorneys will provide immediate legal advice to help you decide how to move forward.
We help our clients beat all types of sex crime charges. We monitor police investigations, confer with the prosecuting team, and gather evidence to weaken the prosecutor’s case. Many sexual misconduct cases lack proficient evidence. If this is the case for you, we may get your charges dropped without attending court.
If you do receive convictions, our skilled defense lawyers will use negotiation tactics to reduce the charges from a felony to a misdemeanor. As a result, we can eliminate jail time, reduce fines and restitution costs, and prevent you from having to enroll in California’s sex offender registration.
Los Angeles Sexual Misconduct Lawyers Protect Your Reputation
Your reputation plays an essential role in your professional and personal life, so don’t let sexual misconduct allegations hinder you from future opportunities. With our Los Angeles sexual misconduct lawyers on your side, you can feel confident that we will fight to clear and protect your name.
At Simmrin Law Group, our skilled criminal defense lawyers focus on resolving your charges quickly and quietly. In most cases, we can do this without requiring you to make a trip to Los Angeles court. Instead, you can rely on our experts to block evidence that may be used against you and get your charges dismissed or reduced to a lesser degree.
Consult With a Los Angeles Sexual Misconduct Attorney Now
A single conviction for sexual misconduct can affect the rest of your life, so don’t take any chances. Instead, allow the sexual misconduct experts at Simmrin Law Group to handle your defense. We are not afraid to fight for your justice and take swift legal action to clear your name. Contact our Los Angeles team now to receive a free sexual misconduct case review.
Call or text (310) 896-2723 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form