If you or a loved one is facing sex crimes charges, your first step should be obtaining legal representation immediately. It’s never too soon, nor too late, to hire a lawyer. Even if you have not been charged, but have been contacted by law enforcement to discuss allegations of a sex crime, you need legal help fast. Early intervention is critical to success in your case. The criminal defense lawyers at the MacNeil Firm have extensive experience dealing with sex offenses during both the investigation period and after charges have been filed.
Common sex crimes charges
In Illinois, “sex crime” is a generic term used to describe a certain category or genre of criminal offenses. Most common sex offenses are those that involve touching of a sexual nature or touching that involves the sex organ of one of the parties. This includes forced penetration, which would generally be called a criminal sexual assault. Penetration of a child under the age of 13 is called a predatory criminal sexual assault. Forced touching or sexual contact that was illegal because of age or mental status is usually called criminal sexual abuse or aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
There are other crimes which do not involve touching but would generally be called sex crimes due to the nature of the offenses. For instance, crimes involving various types of illegal pornography are often categorized as sex offenses. Possession or distribution of child pornography would be considered a sex crime. In addition, obscenity or possession and distribution of obscene material, or possession and distribution of harmful material would be considered a sex crime.
Crimes involving prostitution, such as solicitation of a prostitute, pimping, and human trafficking are also generally considered to be sex offenses. Finally, crimes, where someone is accused of manipulating another person in preparation to commit an illegal touching of a sexual nature, would also fall under the sex crimes category. This is includes grooming, traveling to meet a minor, and solicitation to meet a minor.
The most common sex crimes include:
- Criminal sexual assault & Aggravated criminal sexual assault
- Predatory criminal sexual assault
- Rape
- Date rape & acquaintance rape
- Child pornography
- Criminal sexual abuse & Aggravated criminal sexual abuse
- Molestation
- Failure to register as a sex offender
- Solicitation of a minor
- Harmful material
Our firm has represented individuals charged with almost every type of sex crime. Among others, we have successfully defended in Illinois and Indiana both state and federal cases of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and criminal sexual abuse. Our firm has achieved excellent results for clients facing a variety of charges. With well over 20 years of courtroom experience, we have the experience to execute a successful strategy for you.
What happens if I get arrested for sex crimes?
Few crimes are as divisive and polarizing as sex crimes. The police may tell you that they just need to talk to you, or hear your side of the story, but the reality is likely much different. Once you are in police custody, you can be held for days without being charged and without any contact with the outside world. You will be interrogated with the hope that you give an incriminating statement. The deciding factor in many sex cases is whether the accused made a statement admitting to the allegations. Do not talk to them alone. We will be your advocate, protecting you from the hard interrogations of law enforcement.
Once a person has been arrested for a sex crime, they are entitled to Miranda rights, which means “You have the right to remain silent.” Even if a person has only been brought in for questioning, the most important thing they need to do is remain silent. In many sex crimes cases, the outcome is determined by whether or not the accused admitted to the offense.
Frequently, there is no physical evidence and no witnesses to the offenses, which makes an incriminating statement that much more powerful. Additionally, making an incriminating statement makes a sex case much more difficult to defend. In the event that our client has made an incriminating statement, we will frequently file a Motion to Suppress Statements and The MacNeil Firm has had good success using this approach.
A particular sex offense is determined to be a felony or a misdemeanor based on the statute. Many sex offenses are felony charges; it’s fairly rare to see misdemeanor sex offenses, although we do see them from time to time. All offenses that involve forced touching, such as criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse are felonies. All child pornography cases including the possession and distribution of child pornography are felonies as well. There are misdemeanor charges available for criminal sexual abuse, solicitation of a sexual act, possession of harmful material, and solicitation to meet a child.
Contact The MacNeil Firm today for a free consultation
The MacNeil Firm approaches sex crimes with both tenacity and discretion. We understand that while you need an aggressive defense, being accused of a sex offense is also a stressful and embarrassing experience. Although some sex crimes involve physical evidence, like DNA, many sex offenses are charged just based on the statements of the alleged victim.
The MacNeil Firm will conduct an intense investigation to determine if the victim has a history of fabrication and dishonesty. Maybe the victim has a reason to testify falsely. If a child is making the allegation, an adult who has a grudge against the defendant may have told the child what to say. Medical personnel or scientific investigators may have made errors or may be drawing conclusions that aren’t supported by the evidence.
We will make sure we scrutinize every aspect of your case and execute a defense that will elicit the best results for you. We serve our sex crime related clients in Illinois and Indiana states. Our sex crime attorneys are active in Kankakee, Lake, Grundy, Porter, Cook, and Will counties. Our main offices are located in Frankfort and Shorewood, IL.
