Experienced Sex Crime Defense Attorneys in Bellflower, CA

Few allegations are as serious as alleged sex crimes. If convicted, not only could you face decades in prison depending on the crime, but you may also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life. That makes it hard to find a place to live, get a job, and otherwise live a normal life. And beyond the legal consequences, the social stigma of being a suspected or convicted sex offender can damage your standing in the community and among your own family and friends.

Why Hire the Law Office of Stein & Markus?

Sex offenses often entail unique issues when it comes to media attention, standing within one’s community, and the reliability of physical evidence and witness testimonies. It’s essential to seek reliable and experienced legal representation from a Bellflower sex crime attorney who can help you protect your rights and clear your name when facing sex crime charges.

At The Law Office of Stein & Markus, we genuinely believe in the idea of “innocent until proven guilty,” which is something far too many people forget when it comes to sex crimes. At times, clients feel as though our Bellflower-based criminal defense attorneys are the only ones on their side. And, sometimes, they are right. These are high stakes, high profile cases, and the media is often involved, leading the public to form conclusions before a trial even begins.

Complete Sex Crime Defense Includes Out-of-Court Strategies

As a firm founded by one attorney with decades of criminal defense experience and another with decades of prosecutorial experience, The Law Office of Stein & Markus knows how to handle sex crime cases from all angles. One of those angles is usually media attention.

We take any steps possible to ensure that our clients’ cases are not tried in the media. We certainly cannot control this aspect of a case, but we do work diligently to remind the public whenever necessary that cases are decided by judges and juries, not reporters. We will formulate a media strategy that we believe will be effective in your unique situation and do our best to protect your good name throughout the duration of the proceedings.

Few criminal defense attorneys will provide this level of client protection, especially for a client facing accusations of heinous crimes. At the Law Office of Stein & Markus, our Bellflower criminal defense attorneys are fully committed to protecting our clients’ rights and ensuring proper due process in every case we accept.

Defense Against the Full Range of California Sex Crime Accusations

Whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or a serious or violent felony, our Bellflower sex crime defense lawyers are on your side. We have significant experience representing clients accused of:

• Child sexual abuse/child molestation
• Possession or distribution of child pornography
• Rape, date rape, and statutory rape
• Indecent exposure
• Online solicitation of a minor and other internet crimes
• Sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual assault of a minor
• Prostitution and solicitation of prostitution
• Public indecency

California prosecutors and most prosecutors throughout the United States prosecute sex offense cases very aggressively. There is a major social stigma on crimes of a sexual nature, especially those involving children, and members of the criminal justice system have a duty to prosecute those who pose credible threats to the public. It’s vital to acknowledge that overcoming a sex offense charge is incredibly difficult in many ways. Even if you are completely innocent and wrongfully accused, you could face significant damage to your personal and professional reputation and lose the support and camaraderie of your local community.

Sex offense convictions in California often lead to jail time and extensive sentences. The determining factors that go into sentencing include:

• The seriousness of the offense. For example, child molestation or child sexual abuse would entail a much harsher penalty than public indecency or public urination, but both would require long-term registration as a sex offender in addition to other penalties.
• The age and condition of the alleged victim. For sex crimes involving victims, the age of the victim is the most important determining factor when it comes to sentencing. The younger the victim, the harsher the sentence will be. California state law also upholds various other provisions for victims who suffer from mental disabilities and physical impairments.
• Any violent aspect of the offense. Crimes like sexual battery and rape often result in both sexual violation and physical injuries to the victim. These charges are typically escalated to “aggravated” status and generally qualify as felonies, which entail some of the harshest penalties.
• The amount of evidence in play and its validity. Cases of “he said, she said” are quite common, and physical evidence may be limited. In other cases, physical evidence may be plentiful, but an experienced Bellflower criminal defense attorney can determine whether the evidence was obtained legally and qualifies as admissible in court.

The penalty consistent for all forms of sex crimes in California is the sex offender registry. The sex offender registry is a publicly viewable list of convicted sex offenders living in the area. Anyone who is convicted of any type of sexual offense must register on this list for a certain time, sometimes permanently. Sex offender status can significantly hinder job opportunities, options for living arrangements, and the ability to live in peace in one’s community.

Exploring All Possible Sex Crime Defenses

We will tailor our defense approach to the unique facts and circumstances of your case. That said, some of the frequently available defenses that we’ll evaluate may include:

• Questionable motivation of the accuser and shedding light on potentially false allegations. Due to the very serious social stigmas surrounding crimes of a sexual nature, it is not uncommon for people to levy false accusations of sex crimes against others out of spite. These individuals often know full well that such accusations are very difficult to prove or disprove and throw these accusations simply out of spite. Such actions are not only illegal and damaging to the accused, but also detract from the criminal justice system’s capacity for handling actual sex crimes with real victims.
• Illegal searches of your computer, home, files or other property by police. The laws of due process in the United States exist to ensure that law enforcement cannot illegally obtain evidence or plant false evidence. There are very specific procedures in place for the obtaining of search warrants and the seizure of private property. If law enforcement attempts to obfuscate or circumvent these procedures, this could be grounds for a case dismissal.
• Suggestive interviewing of an alleged child victim by police, teachers, or other authority figures. Although the criminal justice system has a duty to protect the safety and welfare of children involved in criminal matters, the fact remains that children are not reliable witnesses in most situations, even as the victims of an offense. Interviewing children involved in such cases requires following very specific procedures, and inappropriate interviews of child witnesses can compromise a legitimate criminal inquiry and even lead to case dismissal.
• Misidentification. Although unfortunate, some people ultimately face situations of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s possible for someone to face accusations of a sex crime simply because they happened to be near the area where the alleged offense took place or if they happen to resemble a physical description of an alleged attacker or abuser.

These are only a few of the potential defenses available in a sex crime case in Southern California. A Bellflower criminal defense lawyer is the best resource for any individual who faces any kind of sex crime charge.

What to Expect After an Arrest for a Sex Crime in Bellflower

If you are arrested and charged with any type of sex offense in the Bellflower area, it’s vital to know your rights. You have the right to remain silent and the right to legal counsel, and you should not underestimate the value of either of these rights. Once the arresting officers have notified you of the reason for your arrest and read you your Miranda rights, you will be booked at the local police station. Depending on the severity of the charges you face, you may or may not qualify for bail. However, after booking you have the right to contact an attorney. Your first phone call after an arrest for a sex offense should be to an experienced and trustworthy Bellflower sex crimes lawyer.

At the Law Office of Stein & Markus, our legal team has provided exceptional criminal defense representation to many clients facing a wide variety of criminal charges. We fully understand the sensitive nature of sex offense cases and how damaging an accusation of a sex offense can be to your life and reputation. Contact our team as soon as possible to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced Bellflower sex crimes attorney and find out how we can help with your situation.

Our Bellflower Sex Crime Defense Lawyers Are Here to Help

Don’t hesitate to retain an attorney if you are under investigation or have been charged with a sex crime in California. Your freedom and your reputation must be protected right away. Reach out to The Law Office of Stein & Markus in Bellflower to get a free initial consultation. We can visit you in jail if necessary. Call (562) 512-7030 or contact us online today.