Disputes involving sexual intercourse and sexual content can be very embarrassing and damaging to your reputation as well as putting you in jail.  Misperceptions and miscommunication involving sex is very common in today’s world.  Every situation is different and if you are charged or think you are going to be charged with a sex crime, you need my help.

The Sexual Crimes Glossary:
Sexual Assault is the unlawful and offensive touching of someone on their private parts with the intent to arouse oneself sexually.  Sometimes merely touching someone’s buttocks is not enough for a conviction.

Prostitution or Solicitation of Prostitutes – Performing sexual acts for money or paying or attempting to pay someone for sex.  Prostitution is one of humanity’s oldest professions and is highly controversial.  In Nevada, controlled prostitution is legal but in Virginia, any type of prostitution is a crime. Prostitution is a Class 1 Misdemeanor and is punishable by Jail and Fines.  It can be very embarrassing and typically is a misunderstanding.

Rape – Both men and women can be charged with rape.  Usually it is his word against hers.  Rape is a very serious allegation and there are many defenses to a Rape charge.

Statutory Rape is unconsented sex with a minor below the age of 18.  If the child under age 13 is the victim, the State of Virginia dictates he or she shall be guilty of rape.

Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor charge can arise from having consensual sex with someone who is between 16 and 17 years old.  A charge such as this can cause a lot of embarrassment and cause someone to lose their job, as well as land you in jail or subject yourself to stiff fines.

Inanimate Object Penetration is a felony punishable by confinement in the state correctional facility for life or for any term not less than five years. The penalty for a violation of subdivision A 1 where the offender is more than three years older than the victim, shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of 25 years. If the term of confinement imposed for any violation of subdivision A 1, where the offender is more than three years older than the victim, is for a term less than life imprisonment, the judge shall impose, in addition to any active sentence, a suspended sentence of no less than 40 years. This suspended sentence shall be suspended for the remainder of the defendant’s life, subject to revocation by the court.

Failure to Register as a Sex Offender – Any person subject to Chapter 9 (§ 9.1-900 et seq.) of Title 9.1, other than a person convicted of a sexually violent offense who knowingly fails to register or reregister, or who knowingly provides materially false information to the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A second or subsequent conviction for an offense under this subsection is a Class 6 felony.

Sex Offender Registry – The registry, including the Public Notification Database, is based on the Virginia General Assembly’s decision to facilitate access to publicly-available information about persons convicted of specified violent and sexual offenses. The Virginia State Police has not considered or assessed the specific risk of re-offense with regard to any individual prior to his or her inclusion within this registry, and has made no determination that any individual included in the registry is currently dangerous. The main purpose of providing this data on the internet is to make the information more easily available and accessible, not to warn citizens about any specific individual.  More information can be found at http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/index.html

Sexual Harassment While harassment itself is not punishable in Virginia, any crime led to by harassment may incur stiffer fines and penalties.  If you feel threatened, or have been harassed in some way, or if you have been accused of harassment, you need legal representation immediately.  Call the Steidle & Gordon Attorneys at Law.

Sodomy An accused shall be guilty of forcible sodomy if he or she engages in cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, or anal intercourse with a complaining witness whether or not his or her spouse, or causes a complaining witness, whether or not his or her spouse, to engage in such acts with any other person, and 1. The complaining witness is less than 13 years of age, or 2. The act is accomplished against the will of the complaining witness, by force, threat or intimidation of or against the complaining witness or another person, or through the use of the complaining witness’s mental incapacity or physical helplessness.

If you’re not sure what you have been charged with or what you can charge someone with, contact the Steidle & Gordon Attorneys at Law today! www.steidlegordonlaw.com