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Virginia Sex Crimes Charges

Accused of committing a sex offense in Virginia? Here is what you need to know including what constitutes a sexual offense, some examples of commonly charged sexual offenses, and what an experienced Virginia sex crimes lawyer can do to help. To learn more or discuss the specifics in your case, call and schedule consultation today.

What Does The Term ‘Sex Crime’ Mean in Virginia?

Sex crimes in Virginia involve sexual conduct that is either prohibited by law because it is non-consensual or because of the age of one or both of the participants and in some cases both. Due to the long lasting impact these sorts of crimes can have on the victims, they are in most cases very serious and can involve maximum prison sentences all the way up to life imprisonment.

Additionally, there are numerous different sex crimes a person can be charged with in Virginia. A few examples include rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, sexual battery, aggravated sexual battery as well as crimes against children including everything from statutory rape to forcible carnal knowledge of a child.

Can Sexting Be A Crime?

While there is no specific statute for sexting under Virginia law, individuals frequently finding themselves charged under statutes which cover the distribution, possession, or even creation of child pornography. So for example if a picture is taken of a minor that is sexual in nature, that can be the manufacturing of child pornography and sending a text to another person containing that image can be the distribution of child pornography. The person who receives it may be guilty of possessing child pornography.

Penalties For VA Sex Crimes

There are a number of penalties that you can face for sex crime conviction. The worst of course is a lengthy term of imprisonment and most sex crimes do have significant prison time available. In addition to that, a person can face large fines, can find themselves on probation for many, many years, and often are required to register with the Sex Offender Registry for a lengthy period of time or perhaps for their entire life.

Importance of Hiring An Attorney Early in The Criminal Process

Hiring an attorney early on in the process is important because these kinds of cases are very aggressively investigated and very aggressively prosecuted. People who are under investigation for crimes of this nature often make the mistake of thinking that if they cooperate with the police or other investigators it will help their case or avoid them getting charged.

In most cases individuals end up incriminating themselves and making their defense more difficult.

Involving a lawyer early in the process allows the person to gain the guidance that they need in order to make sure that they are not making statements to police or anyone else and to make sure that they are taking whatever proactive steps they can in order to start building their defense. This gives them the best possible chance to have their charge be either reduced or even dismissed.

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