Detroit Sex Crimes Lawyer
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Being charged with a sex crime is damaging enough to your reputation, but imagine what would happen if you were convicted. You could face years in prison and pay thousands of dollars in fines. You would also be a registered sex offender, which limits your personal and professional choices.
A Detroit sex crimes lawyer at Drias Law Group PLLC can help you clear your name and remove the stigma of sex crime allegations.
Call us today at (313) 944-0236 or use our online contact form to schedule your free, confidential consultation.
Why Hire a Detroit Sex Crime Lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer is one of the best advantages you give yourself when facing sex crime charges.
An experienced Detroit sex crime lawyer can:
- Arrange for your release from jail while you await trial
- Represent you in police interviews to prevent self-incrimination
- Review the evidence against you for holes and weaknesses
- Build a defense strategy that suits your unique situation
- Negotiate with the prosecutor to drop or reduce the charges, offer a plea deal, or push for alternative sentencing
Most people lack the knowledge and experience to represent themselves. Public defenders mean well, but they have many clients and little time or resources to devote to your specific case. The Drias Law Group provides plenty of resources and knowledge to get you the best possible outcome.
How a Detroit Sex Crime Lawyer Builds Your Defense
It is probably your word against the alleged victim. Your actions or statements may be taken out of context and twisted in ways that make you look guilty when the truth may be far more ambiguous. Cases involving sex offenses often have many gray areas, with events interpreted differently.
Your Michigan sex crimes lawyer will look in these gray areas for possible defenses to your charge. Suppose we can find even one viable problem in the prosecutor’s case against you. In that case, we can create reasonable doubt — meaning the case against you does not meet the threshold for conviction.
Here are some defenses that attorneys might use in Michigan sex crime cases.
You are innocent
You would not be the first individual to be falsely accused of a sex crime. No matter what the police or your accuser are saying, you are innocent. Your Michigan sex crimes lawyer will gather evidence that proves your innocence.
Your accuser is mistaken or lying
Sometimes, the details of emotionally charged situations can get murky. Perhaps your accuser has mistaken you for someone else. In some sad cases, the accuser might even be lying. Either way, an attorney can work to show that the accusations against you are false.
Police violated your rights
If the police violated your constitutional rights during your arrest, interrogation, or incarceration, a sex crimes lawyer in Michigan might be able to get your charges dropped.
Improper evidence handling
Evidence is everything in sex crime cases. If investigators mishandled the evidence against you or violated the chain of custody, the charges against you should not stand.
The victim gave consent
You might admit to the allegations against you. But if the alleged victim is an adult who gave consent, it’s likely not a crime. Your Michigan sex crimes lawyer can help you show that the accuser did permit the actions in question.
These are only a few of the possible defenses to sex crime charges. Your defense will depend on the unique details of your case. A Detroit sex crimes lawyer helps you understand your options and protects your rights.
Michigan Sex Crimes FAQ
If you need additional answers after reading these frequently asked questions, please contact our office today.
What Should I do if the Police Contact Me About a Sex Crime Accusation?
No matter how unfounded, such an accusation is likely to destroy your personal and professional reputation forever. You deserve someone on your side to help you clear your name. Call a Michigan sex crimes lawyer right away.
Is There a Statute of Limitations When it Comes to Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Michigan?
Yes. Every sexual abuse case has a statute of limitations. But how long the state has to file criminal charges will depend on the details of the case. A case involving second-degree criminal sexual conduct has a fifteen-year statute of limitations in most cases.
Still, it could extend up until the alleged victim’s 28th birthday. You can determine whether the statute of limitations will affect the charges against you when you contact a Michigan sex crimes lawyer for help with your defense.
Should I Take a Police Polygraph?
Police often use polygraphs as a way to prove that someone is lying or guilty of a crime. Polygraphs are not infallible. Extreme nervousness and anxiety could produce a false result. You should never take a polygraph without discussing your situation with your Michigan sex crimes lawyer.
Will I Lose Parental Rights if Accused of, or Charged With, Child Abuse or a Sex Crime?
If you are accused of, charged with, or convicted of child abuse or a sex crime, your child custody rights could be on the line. Michigan Child Protective Services will likely open up an investigation. You might have to leave your home so your children can stay through the course of the case.
Your child could be removed from your care and placed with a relative or foster family if the state determines there is abuse.
Can I Appeal My Sex Crime Conviction?
Appealing a sex crime conviction is possible depending on whether you meet the eligibility requirements. Those who were found guilty of a sex crime by trial have the right to appeal their conviction. Your Michigan sex crimes lawyer can determine if a post-conviction motion or a direct appeal to the appellate court is more effective.
How Drias Law Group PLLC in Detroit Helps You
At Drias Law Group PLLC, our defense attorneys are former prosecutors. This unique insight allows us to see both sides of an argument in a Michigan sex crimes case.
We know how prosecutors approach these cases — and how best to defend against the arguments that prosecutors are likely to make against you. We’ll fight for you in court with the goal of not only getting you the best possible outcome for your charge but helping you preserve your family and your future.
About Our Founding Attorney
Detroit sex crime lawyer Martin Drias attended one of the top-ranked law schools in the U.S. He has dedicated his career to helping others. He has even worked as a public defender, and in legal services, a clinic focused on social justice.
Attorney Davis and his team are dedicated to providing top-notch, compassionate criminal defense to clients in Detroit and throughout Michigan.
Penalties for Michigan Sex Crimes
A sex crime conviction in Michigan affects your life for years to come.
Depending on the nature of your crime and any previous criminal record, you might face:
- A jail or prison sentence
- Costly criminal fines or court fees
- A requirement to register as a sex offender and have your information visible in a public database
- A permanent criminal record as a sex offender that will be visible on background checks for employment or rental housing
- Restrictions on where you can live or work
- You may be unable to obtain a license to practice your profession or lose your existing license to practice law, medicine, teaching, nursing, pharmacy, or another licensed profession
- You may lose full or partial custody of your children, depending on the circumstances of your offense
- You may lose your immigration visa or green card, be denied citizenship, or be deported to your native country if you’re a non-U.S. citizen
However, your situation may not be hopeless. A Detroit sex crime lawyer offers you a chance to have your charges reduced or dismissed or suffer fewer consequences.
At Drias Law Group PLLC, we work aggressively on behalf of people charged with Michigan sex crimes. We can start representing you even if you are under investigation but not yet charged with a sex crime.
We protect your rights through the process. We make sure your side of the story is heard by police, prosecutors, and by a jury if necessary.
Types of Sex Offenses We Handle in Michigan
Our Detroit sex crime lawyer at Drias Law Group PLLC has handled various sex offenses charged in local courts. Here are some of the cases that we accept.
1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct
First-degree criminal sexual conduct is the most severe type of sex offense in Michigan. More commonly known as rape, this offense can result in a life sentence in prison.
2nd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct
Second-degree criminal sexual conduct involves unwanted sexual touching, more commonly known as sexual battery or indecent liberties. It’s a serious felony that can result in years in prison.
3rd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct
Third-degree criminal sexual conduct is more commonly known as statutory rape. It involves the sexual penetration of teens or adults with mental or physical disabilities. It’s a serious felony offense in Michigan that can result in years in prison.
4th Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct
Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involves unwanted sexual touching of certain types of people. This includes teens or within the contexts of kinds of relationships. This offense is a serious misdemeanor in Michigan punishable by years in prison.
Assault with Intent to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct
Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct is a serious felony offense. It can result in a significant prison sentence when there is an intent to commit rape or when the objective is unwanted sexual touching.
Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
Many sex crimes convictions in Michigan require the individual to register as a sex offender. Failing to register as required is an additional criminal offense that can result in jail time and fines.
Child Pornography
Producing, financing, distributing, or possessing material that is sexually abusive to children are serious felony child pornography crimes in Michigan. They can result in decades in prison and tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
Prostitution & Solicitation
Prostitution and solicitation are misdemeanor crimes in Michigan that are punishable with jail time and fines.
Charged with a sex crime? Contact us today.
Call the experienced Detroit sex crime lawyers at Drias Law Group PLLC for a consultation today. We might be able to prevent you from serving time, paying fines, or registering as a sex offender.
Your initial consultation is always free and confidential. Call (313) 944-0236 today or fill out the form below.
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