Brooklyn Sexual Offense Lawyer explains charges for sex abuse and pornography

The spectrum of sex offenses ranges from minor misdemeanor charges to much more severe felonies. The most serious crimes involve the sexual assault of children or crimes that involve physical injury.

Some sex crimes involve a specific individual, whereas others involve Internet use.

Sex offenses include public indecency, prostitution, solicitation, date rape, solicitation, pornography, lewd acts, pandering, pimping, and Rape including forcible rape, statutory rape, date rape and spousal rape. All sex offense convictions require mandatory lifetime sex offender registration, which would allow neighbors, employers and others to find out about a conviction.

Sex crimes are most often New York state crimes prosecuted in Brooklyn (Kings County), as opposed to federal crimes or violations of city or county ordinances. However, with the proliferation of the Internet, criminal complaints involving cybersex and cyber crime will likely involve allegations of crossing state lines for sexual purposes; possession, distribution or manufacturing of child pornography; and/or lewd or indecent proposals to minors via the World Wide Web (i.e., the “Internet” or “on-line”), bulletin board systems, Internet relay chat, Web-based chat, messengers, electronic mail (e-mail) and Usenet or news groups; lewd molestation or sexual exploitation of minors; promoting prostitution; traveling to engage in sex with a minor, interstate communication to entice a minor to engage in sex, and even trafficking in children for sexual purposes or pornography.

Criminal penalties for various sex crimes in Brooklyn

The penalties associated with a sex crime conviction in New York have been drastically increased. The same three-strike law that applies in other violent crimes also applies in these types of cases. If you were previously convicted of two other serious or violent felony offenses, any third felony conviction carries a mandatory life prison sentence. Certain molestation convictions carry mandatory life sentences for first-time offenders as well.

Below is a general overview of the other types of legal penalties associated with a sex crime conviction:

• Imprisonment
• Probation
• Mandatory, lifelong sex offender registration
• Monetary fines
• Court-ordered rehabilitation
• Loss of the right to vote
• Loss of the right to own a firearm

After prison, the a convicted defendant’s name, address and photograph can be publicized by the police. A person convicted of a sex offense may be limited in the kinds of jobs he can hold and where he can live. Even conviction of a sexual misdemeanor can affect you the rest of your life. Pleading guilty to a sex crime is rarely acceptable.

You need a lawyer as early as possible – ideally, before charges are even brought. However, even if you have already been convicted, relief may be available via appeal or a writ of habeas corpus.

Damage Simply from Being Charged with a Sex Crime

If these penalties were not bad enough, the mere fact that you were charged with, or investigated for, a sex offense can be enough to cause irreparable damage to your reputation and long-term future. It is quite common for family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to suddenly look at you with concern and suspicion after such charges are levied. You could even be viewed as a sex offender despite being exonerated of all charges.

Stand Up and Fight for Your Rights

As you can see, fighting for your rights is incredibly important if you were charged with a sex crime. Never forget that your freedom, reputation, and livelihood could very well be at stake. Brooklyn police and prosecutors will aggressively prosecute a sex crime so you need to have a defense attorney on your side who will aggressively advocate on your behalf. At the Bukh Law Firm, PLLC, in Brooklyn, New York, we understand the fears, stress and anxiety you are facing if you have been accused of a sex crime.

Our team can help by offering comprehensive, attentive service to your individual needs and minimize your exposure to penalties. Attorney Arkady Bukh and our group of skilled lawyers and staff can help you not only with the criminal charges but the emotions of the situation.

The Police are Not Your Friend

Brooklyn sex crimes investigators and police are trained to try and get the accused to talk. The objective is to try and obtain an admission of guilt. This is why you should never talk to the police without an attorney at your side. The police are not a neutral party. Do not answer questions on the phone from police; sometimes they make “pretext calls” to ask you about “your side of the story” when someone has accused you of a sex crime. Police and prosecutors will use anything they can to implicate you.

Take Action by Contacting an Experienced Sex Crime Defense Lawyer in Brooklyn, NY

If you or one of your family members is facing a sex-offense charge, it is imperative to obtain the legal representation of an experienced criminal defense attorney in Brooklyn, NY. The penalties for a sex offense conviction can be serious and life-changing, but many defenses are available.

Contact an attorney with the Bukh Law Firm, PLLC as soon as possible so we can get to work evaluating the available evidence and examining your legal options.