Finding a statutory rape lawyer Plano, Texas is the first thing you need to do if the police charge you. When the police charge you with any crime involving sexual assault in Texas, it’s no laughing matter. These crimes have some of the harshest sentences in the state, and they come with the largest fines and penalties. Most reports of statutory rape are genuine, but sometimes people make mistakes or false claims.
You might wonder what statutory rape in Texas really means. The age of consent here is 17 years old. If you have consensual sexual intercourse with a person who is under the age of 17, and you are over the age of 18, the law is very clear. You might get charged with a crime. Again, even if this was consensual, it is still considered a criminal act.
If the police charge you with statutory rape in Texas, it is important that you hire a lawyer immediately. You need to protect your rights and ensure that you are legally represented. If you’re looking for an experienced lawyer in Plano, contact Kent Starr at (214) 982-1408.
In Texas, sexual assault is a 2nd-degree felony. It carries a sentence of 2-20 years in a state penitentiary should a court find you guilty. The court can also find a person convicted of sexual assault up to $10,000. Police can charge a person with statutory rape when they have had sex with someone under the age of consent. The age of consent is 17 in Texas. There is no “Romeo and Juliet” law in Texas, known as a close-in-age exemption. A close-in-age exemption says you can have sex with someone under 17 provided you are no more than three years older.
This exemption exists in some states because sometimes teenagers will be teenagers. They should not have to live with a sexual assault conviction because they had sex with someone of the same age. Since there is no exemption in Texas, two 16-year-olds who have had sex with each other could both be charged. This is ridiculous and fortunately rare. Good law firms in Plano can ensure you are not improperly accused of statutory rape if you fit the close-to-the-age range.
If you are convicted of having sex with someone under 17, you face the term in prison of 2-20 years. In Texas, this is known as “indecency with a child.” It also means that you will spend the rest of your life as a registered sex offender even after prison.
In many cases, the state won’t charge someone with statutory rape if the close-in-age range idea applies. This is the case despite there being no close-in-age legal exemption in Texas. That’s why the moment the police charge you with statutory rape, you need to contact an attorney immediately. They will also help ensure all your rights are protected and prepare your defense if you are less than three years older than the younger person.
Since the police decide whether to charge someone based on the details of the case, sometimes a person will be charged anyway. For instance, the police and the court will not “look the other way” for an individual who is already a registered sexual offender. They also won’t look the other way in the case of children under the age of 14.
It’s also important to know that you can’t claim that you thought the other person was of legal age. Even if the other person told you they were of legal age and even showed you a fake driver’s license, it doesn’t matter. The police and the courts don’t care about a defense of “They lied about their age.” The police will charge you with statutory rape if you are at least three years older than the person with whom you have had sex – even if they gave consent – if they are aged 16 or younger. Most types of lawyers have some experience dealing with this charge.
Yet, of all the law firms in Plano, you can contact if the police have charged you with statutory rape, you want to find the right lawyer. You want to choose one who is an expert in defending people accused of statutory rape. Again, this cannot be emphasized enough; the moment the police charge you with statutory rape, contact the law offices of Kent Starr at (214) 982-1408. We have protected the legal rights of many people accused of this crime.
Statutory rape is not some minor matter. If a court convicts you of a sexual assault crime in Texas, you need to take it very seriously. It means real troubles that will affect you (and even your family members) for the rest of your life. You need to find a statutory rape lawyer in Plano if the police charge you with statutory rape immediately. Don’t wait. When you want the very best statutory rape lawyer Plano, contact, Kent Starr at (214) 982-1408.
If you have found yourself in need of a sex offender lawyer Plano, it’s important that you pay attention.
Finding a statutory rape lawyer Plano, Texas is the first thing you need to do if the police charge you.
To make sure you protect your rights and get a fair fight in the court of law, Starr Law Firm can help.
Starr Law Firm has a group of experts who can help you through this extreme time.
Many attorneys do not have the trial experience to handle a case involving sex crimes.
