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NYC Child Sexual Assault Lawyers
It is one of the worst accusations that can be hurled at you. To be accused of sexually assaulting a child is terrible. It can lead to the systematic dismantling of your life, and the loss of everything you have worked so hard to obtain. If you have been arrested and charged with this crime, you are in serious trouble. You may have no idea why you have been taken into custody or who has leveled the accusation against you. But you must act and act quickly.
New York State defines a child as anyone under the age of 17. You will have committed the offense of sexual assault if you have sex with someone in that age range without their consent. The law also states that with very exceptions children are without the capacity to consent to sex. Thus having sex with a child with their consent is still an offence: you will have committed statutory rape.
Now it may be the case that you have committed neither offense; that you have been falsely accused of this act. If so, it is best to keep your head. You will feel frustration and anger that you have been put into such a position. But there is really no time for such sentiments. Your priority must be to get free, have the charges dropped, and restore your good name and reputation.
Attorneys from the Spodek Law Group can help you get clear of such a serious charge. You should not say anything to the authorities until your lawyer has arrived. Even if they say that things will go better if you cooperate, you should exercise your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. You may make a statement that seems innocuous but actually damages your defense.
Law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public in general are extremely sensitive to child sexual abuse. If you have been accused of sexually abusing a child, the prosecutors will come at you with everything they’ve got. You can spend up to 25 years in prison if you are convicted for child sex abuse. Even if you receive a significantly lower sentence, your name will be added to a registry of child sex abusers. And your life will officially be over.
People who have been convicted of child sexual abuse are treated as outcasts no matter where they go. Some states have enacted laws against convicts that are so draconian they are unable to get work, buy a car, or find housing. Such convicts are subject to constant harassment and abuse, much of it violent. If you are convicted, you may be denied all contact with children, including your own and those of your siblings and other relatives.
For all the above reasons, you must work to beat the charges. You must hire a lawyer who has extensive experience and expertise in handling these kinds of cases. When you are arrested, thrown into jail, and charged with this crime, it will feel as though you have done something wrong. If you know you haven’t, then you should act accordingly. No matter how much pressure you’re under, you must remember that you are innocent until proven guilty. It is always incumbent upon the state to prove its case against you, and your lawyer will make sure that you get a fair and impartial trial.
If you are in a situation in which you made a series of errors that have led to this charge, you must still hire a criminal defense attorney. The lawyers at Spodek Law Group will not judge you. Their sole aim is to get the best outcome possible given the circumstances.