Pinellas Park Sexual Battery Lawyer
In Florida, rape is called “sexual battery,” which covers all sorts of crimes based on unwanted touching. If you are facing sexual battery charges, you should begin shopping for an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney. Any allegation of sexual impropriety can derail a person’s career, result in a prison sentence, and destroy your reputation. Call The Reep Law Firm today to speak with our Pinellas Park sexual battery lawyer in a private consultation. We can determine the best defense available in your case.
Sexual Battery in Florida
The crime of “sexual battery” covers all types of offensive sexual contact, including:
- Rape, or
- Penetration of someone’s anus, mouth, or vagina with a sexual organ, or
- Penetration of their anus and vagina with a foreign object.
Generally, sexual battery is a second-degree felony, with a maximum 15 years in prison if convicted as a first-time offender. However, there are all sorts of aggravating factors which can bump up the charges:
- Underage victim. If the victim is under 18, then you can face first-degree, life, or capital felony charges.
- Bodily injury to the victim. A defendant can face enhanced penalties if they cause serious bodily injury to the victim during the battery.
- The state will increase the charges if the victim is helpless, incapacitated, or mentally defective. For example, the victim might have been drunk, which could result in increased charges.
Contact our office so we can review the facts. You need to know what penalties you are facing before determining the best defense to raise on your behalf.
How to Defend Against Sexual Battery Charges
Sexual battery is a serious offense. Any conviction can result in time behind bars. You will likely need to register as a sex offender, which is a public database.
We attack the state’s case using different approaches:
- Undermine the victim’s credibility. Many sexual battery cases rest solely on the victim’s testimony. We can raise questions about their sincerity or reliability. A victim who was drunk, for example, isn’t in a good state to identify their attacker.
- Raise reasonable doubt. The state needs to prove you were the one who committed the crime, along with all elements of the offense.
- Argue the victim consented. For certain sex crimes, consent is a defense. (It’s not a defense if the victim is underage.)
- Challenge the constitutionality of the state’s search and interrogation. The state must follow the constitution when searching for evidence or when asking a suspect questions. They might lack probable cause and/or a warrant, and we can ask a judge to keep incriminating evidence out of court.
These defense strategies can often weaken a case dramatically, resulting in dropped or reduced charges. However, our firm is also prepared to defend you in a criminal trial, if events come to that. Every criminal case is unique, and we can offer more targeted advice in a consultation.
Passionate Pinellas Park Sexual Battery Attorneys
Please call our office to speak with a Pinellas Park sexual battery lawyer. We believe defendants deserve a quality defense, and we can explain more about what steps to take in a consultation.
