Being convicted of sex crimes in Palmetto sends a shockwave through your life. Sex crimes charges may likely impact every opportunity available to you moving forward. Though varying degrees of these crimes exist, sex crimes garner a stigma that may follow you without experienced legal intervention.

Contact the team at J. Ryan Brown Law if you or someone you know faces sex crimes charges. Having a skilled Palmetto sex crimes lawyer in your corner to protect your rights is critical to your case. A Palmetto criminal defense lawyer is your advocate, working to seek the best outcome possible in your case.

Why Work With Our Palmetto, GA Sex Crimes Lawyers 

After being charged with a sex crime, it is up to you to put up a formidable defense in your case. Our lead attorney, Ryan Brown, and our team of Palmetto sex crimes lawyers at J. Ryan Brown Law believe no one should fight alone. When you work with us, expect the following:

  • A sex crimes lawyer with experience who is undeterred in their representation of the charges against you
  • An understanding attorney willing to listen and advocate for the best approaches to your case
  • A thorough review of the evidence against you to uncover missteps, false information, or charges that do not fit the crime
  • Working with a sex crimes lawyer in Palmetto who will explain the options available to you, giving you solid information to make sound choices
  • A fight to the end to protect your rights

Learn more about us and schedule a free consultation to take the first steps to seek a solid defense.

How a Sex Crimes Lawyer in Palmetto Can Help You

Feeling afraid and uncertain about your future after being charged with a sex crime is expected. A Palmetto criminal defense attorney will meet your what-if questions with sound advice. A Palmetto sex crimes attorney will:

  • Immediately begin building your defense
  • Look for holes and discrepancies in the evidence against you
  • Seek to have your case dropped or the charges reduced when possible
  • Ensure your representation at each court appearance
  • Keep you updated on the progress of your case
  • Work to negotiate a fair plea bargain when this is the best option for you
  • Help you and your family navigate the lengthy legal process

We feel confident in our ability to support you throughout the legal process. However, our client reviews speak volumes about our ability to fight for those who need legal guidance most. We care about the outcome of your case.

Sex Crimes You May be Charged for in Palmetto

While many sex crimes carry felony charges, there are misdemeanor sex crime charges in Georgia. The severity of the punishment for a sex crime may be dependent on the age of an individual committing the act or the age of the person experiencing the act, the type of act you are charged with, and whether the act was consensual between the two parties similar in age. Sex crimes you may be charged for in Palmetto include:

  • Public Indecency: Performing sexual intercourse, exposing the sexual organs, appearing nude, or lewdly caressing an individual’s body parts in public (Georgia Code §6-6-8)
  • Prostitution: Offering or consenting to perform a sexual act for money or an item of value (Georgia Code §16-6-9)
  • Sexual battery: Purposefully coming into physical contact with the intimate parts of another individual without their consent (Georgia Code §16-6-22.1) 

Certain misdemeanor offenses may also be charged as felonies. To defend against any sex crimes charge in Palmetto, GA, speak to one of our experienced sex crimes attorneys.

Felony Sex Crimes In Palmetto

At least one year of jail time may result from a sex crime carrying a felony conviction in Georgia. In more severe cases, life in prison may result. We seek to understand the events leading to your charge and defend your case with solid evidence and representation. More severe sex crimes in Palmetto include:

  • Rape: Penetration of the sex organs without consent (Georgia Code §16-6-1)
  • Child Molestation: Committing an indecent act with or in the presence of an individual under 16 years of age or transmitting images of a lewd act with an individual under 16 (Georgia Code §16-6-4)
  • Sodomy: Committing a sex act involving the mouth or anus of one person and the sex organs of another (Georgia Code §16-6-2)

This list is not complete of the sex crimes you may be charged for in Georgia. Sex crime charges range from bestiality to bigamy. A complete list of sex crimes and what constitutes these acts may be found in Georgia’s Code of sexual offenses.

Penalties for a Sex Crimes Conviction in Palmetto, Georgia

Every conviction of a sex crime in Palmetto can be costly. Many offenses carry mandatory minimums, requiring the help of a Palmetto sex crimes attorney to seek a reduced classification of your crime and negotiate a better outcome in your case when possible. Penalties may range from:

  • Fines, fees, or other monetary costs
  • A minimum of a year in jail for certain offenses
  • Parole
  • Participation in sexual offender rehabilitation programs
  • Registry on the State Sexual Offender Registry
  • 25 years to life when more severe crimes such as rape or aggravated sodomy occur

For many convicted of sex crimes in Palmetto, registering on the State Sexual Offender Registry will be required for life. Georgia Code (§42-1-12 (20)) defines a sexual offender as an individual who:

  • Is convicted of any dangerous criminal sexual offense or sexual offense against a minor
  • Is convicted under the laws of a state, territory, the United States, Uniform Code of Military Justice, or tribal court
  • Is required to register for the offense under Georgia Code

In addition to being charged with a sex crime, you may also face bond conditions depending on the type of charges against you. A sex crimes attorney in Palmetto will work to establish and propose conditions to your bond, providing avenues for your release until the court date arrives. 

The Impacts of a Palmetto Sex Crimes Conviction on Your Life

A prison sentence for a Palmetto sex crime may impact many years of your life. Registering as a sex offender will also be mandatory. Find answers to Sex Offender Registry frequently asked questions. A conviction for a Palmetto sex crime may also determine:

  • Where you live and who you live with 
  • The type of employment available and your earning capacity
  • Restrictions placed on you when moving to another state
  • Whether you can interact online through social media
  • If a military career is possible

Having the charges against you decreased or negotiated may improve the potential outcome of a sex crime conviction. A plea bargain may provide a better future outcome and can also be discussed with your legal representation. The steps you take with an experienced sex crimes lawyer by your side may significantly provide a more favorable future outcome, giving you more options in life.

Removal From the State Sex Offender Registry

Having your name documented on a public registry identifying you as a sex offender in Georgia will have significant consequences. Failing to register may result in substantial penalties and jail time added to your sentence. Avenues for removal from the sex crimes registry in Georgia exist. Let a Palmetto, GA, sex crimes lawyer help you determine eligibility for removal.

Defenses Against Sex Crimes in Palmetto

A thorough investigation of your case will allow us to present a solid defense on your behalf. We will consider multiple approaches to your defense in pursuit of the optimal outcome for you. Because Georgia considers sexual offenses as severe, juveniles may face charges as an adult in Georgia when charged with sex crimes. 

Procedural Errors

Law enforcement must follow legal guidelines to protect individual rights during the arrest, search, and seizure processes. Crossing over these boundaries may infringe on your constitutional rights. To protect against illegal practices committed intentionally or by omission, we will review your case to determine the following:

  • Whether questioning and interrogation tactics were appropriate
  • If your Miranda rights were read to you at the time of arrest
  • If search warrants were obtained and administered within the documentation guidelines

Potential sex crimes offenders may face unfair treatment because of bias against them. At J. Ryan Brown Law, we strive to uphold your constitutional rights.

False Accusations

Getting the information right about a sex crime can be the difference between being convicted of a sex crime and walking away. Under emotional strain, significant mistakes may lead to you being charged with a crime you did not commit. False accusation may occur when:

  • A consensual relationship occurred between two parties, with one of the individuals later stating otherwise 
  • You are mistaken for someone who committed a crime
  • Testimony by witnesses places you at the scene or near the scene of an incident you had no part in

Never assume false accusations will not lead to a conviction of a sex crime in Georgia. Any accusation should be taken seriously.

A Lack of Evidence

Clear and convincing evidence must exist in a criminal case. The absence of evidence may be argued as a defense. In this case, your charges may be reduced significantly, dropped, or a not-guilty verdict may occur.

Evidence for the Defense in a Sex Crimes Case in Palmetto, GA

Your attorney will work with you to uncover any evidence supporting your innocence in a sex crime case. Contacting a sex crimes lawyer in Palmetto as soon as possible allows us to secure evidence that may be lost over time. The following documentation may be used to support your case:

  • Phone records and text messages proving consenting relationships
  • Supporting witness testimony and video surveillance placing you somewhere other than at the scene of the crime
  • Video surveillance 
  • Work attendance documentation

As a client, you can expect our unrelenting search for any evidence in your favor. Waiting to reach out may have a significant impact on your case. Let us get to work immediately to represent you. 

Consider These Actions After Being Charged With a Palmetto Sex Crime

There are steps you should take after being charged with a sex crime. However, many individuals do not consider what they should not do after being arrested for the severe offense of a sex crime. When you work with a sex crimes lawyer at J. Ryan Brown Law, we will explain the impact of any actions you take even after a crime has potentially been committed. 

Agreeing to Voluntary Searches or Testing

Being helpful to prove your innocence in a sex crime may harm your case, leading to you being convicted of a crime. Being respectful of law enforcement is always recommended. However, agreeing to voluntary searches may produce evidence that makes you appear guilty of a crime, regardless of whether you committed a sex crime or not. 

Search warrants allow law enforcement to collect evidence legally in a case. Without them, volunteering to allow a home, car, person, or cellphone search may be a critical misstep even when you feel you have nothing to hide. 

Taking a Polygraph Test

Many individuals submit to a polygraph before speaking with a sex crimes lawyer in Palmetto. They may also feel a polygraph will prove their innocence, or they do not have a choice in taking a polygraph test. There are complex facets to a polygraph and any information it produces, including whether or not you volunteered to participate in testing. 

It is always recommended to seek legal advice when considering if you should take a polygraph. A Palmetto, GA, sex crimes attorney can discuss the admissibility of evidence in a polygraph test and potential benefits, if they exist, of submitting to a test. 

Using Social Media

Information you share online, including likes, messages, pictures, check-ins, and comments, can be used against you in court. Even with a social media account set in the most private settings, prosecutors in a sex crimes case can and will use your online activity against you. There are many dangers of social media for individuals in the midst of legal action. The best way to avoid the pitfalls of social media in a case is to refrain from using it at all. 

Take These Steps if You are Charged with a Palmetto Sex Crime

For many individuals, being charged with a sex crime may be their first encounter with law enforcement and the arrest process. Acting out of anger, fear, or uncertainty can impact your case negatively. Taking the following steps will help you navigate the first phase of a lengthy legal process:

  • Use your right to remain silent. This right is covered in your Miranda rights, and there are significant outcomes to your case when law enforcement doesn’t read you your rights.
  • Contact a sex crimes lawyer in Palmetto immediately. We will guide you through the criminal process to remove the uncertainty and strive to prevent missteps that may impact your case.
  • Refrain from giving any information except your name, age, and address to protect your rights, even if you feel you are innocent.
  • Do not discuss your case with anyone. Refrain from making comments, threats, or explaining your position in person or online. 

Any information obtained from you without being read your Miranda rights during an arrest may not be admissible in court. Information you share with others may be used against you. Discussing your case in any capacity without speaking to a sex crimes lawyer is not advisable. Learn more about what to do if you are arrested in Georgia

How the Georgia Court Process Works

You will need to get on with life until your court date arrives. Before this time, you will have experienced an arrest for a sex crime. Someone will also have posted your bond if you are out of jail. You will be expected to follow any restrictions applying to your bond. Failing to do so may result in being placed back in a jail facility. 

From beginning to end, the legal process in a sex crimes case can take many months or longer. Sex crimes lawyers work to keep their clients abreast of any developments and court dates. A preliminary hearing will determine if enough evidence exists to continue with your case. Having your interests represented during this initial hearing phase may lead to a case being dismissed for lack of evidence.

During the motion phase of court, a sex crimes attorney in Palmetto will strive to suppress evidence against you obtained illegally as well as discover the evidence the prosecution will use against you. Your case may be heard by a judge or jury. Your attorney will file any possible appeals available should a guilty verdict be reached. The sex crimes lawyers at J. Ryan Brown Law stand with their clients, exhausting the options to seek an optimal outcome.

Experienced Sex Crimes Lawyer in Palmetto, GA

You need knowledgeable, trusted representation when you have been charged with a sex crime in Georgia. Our sex crimes lawyers at J. Ryan Brown Law respectfully represent each client we serve. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and protect your rights.

J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC

J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC
N/a