Sex Offenses Information
If you've been charged with sexual assault or rape in Maryland, you want a lawyer who is committed to fighting for your rights and will stand up to not the prosecutors. Contact Meng & Alpert, LLC today for a free consultation. Our criminal lawyers are former prosecutors who know the law. We will work hard to get you the best possible result.
Our firm represents people in Bethesda and throughout Southern Maryland, including Rockville, Gaithersburg, Chevy Chase, Oxon Hill, Glen Burnie, Silver Spring, Columbia, Ellicott City, Annapolis, Bowie, College Park, Greenbelt, and Metropolitan Washington D.C. Contact us today for your free consultation!
We can help, even if your case seems hopeless.
1-866-444-6363
In 2000, the Department of Justice found that State and Federal courts convicted almost 984,000 adults of felonies. The penalties for a felony conviction can significantly change your life, and the sooner you contact an attorney upon being threatened with a felony sex offense charge, the better chance you have of mounting a successful defense.
Sex Offenses - An Overview
Sex offenses include a myriad of criminal sexual behaviors, ranging from prostitution to rape.
If you or someone you know has been charged with committing a sex offense, it is very important to contact us to obtain the legal representation of an experienced Bethesda sex crime defense attorney. The penalties for a sex offense conviction can be serious and life-changing, but many defenses are available. Contacting an attorney as soon as possible allows the evidence to be evaluated and witnesses to be questioned soon after the event, providing the best opportunity for a successful defense. A criminal defense attorney has the experience and skill to begin preparing your defense as soon as you retain it.
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Rape, Sexual Assault, Date Rape & Statutory Rape
Unwanted sex acts are generally classified as rape. However, modern law more commonly refers to these criminal offenses as "sexual abuse" or "sexual assault." A wide range of activities may be included under these definitions. Statutory rape, for instance, is sexual activity with a person under the legal age of consent. Date rape is a nonlegal term for forcible sexual activity between people who know one another during a social engagement. Regardless of the circumstances, however, rape is rape, and there are serious penalties for individuals found guilty of these sex crimes. Prosecutors and the police focus more attention than ever on these offenses, so if you or someone you know is accused of or arrested for any of these crimes, you need to contact a Washington DC sex crime defense attorney immediately. Call us for experienced advice and vigorous defense.
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Nonviolent Sex Offenses
State laws regarding nonviolent sex offenses vary greatly. Typically, state statutes address prostitution, pandering, solicitation, indecent exposure, and illegal possession of pornography. Experienced criminal defense firms handle all types of nonviolent sex offense cases. The penalties for nonviolent sex offenses, although generally less severe than for violent sex offenses, can still range from fines and community service to felony charges and incarceration. If you have been arrested for a nonviolent sex offense, protect your rights by contacting a criminal defense firm regarding your defense.
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Sex Offender Registry
Every crime carries a stigma that is difficult to erase, but registration requirements make the sex offender stigma more tenacious than most. The Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act, a federal act, requires released sex offenders to register with law enforcement and further requires offenders convicted of crimes against children to verify their address to law enforcement annually. Offenders deemed to be sexually violent predators must verify their addresses more frequently. States that do not meet the requirements of the Act are subject to reduced federal funding. As a result, all states require some type of registration and most maintain a central registry of resident sex offenders. In most states, sex offenders are required to register their addresses, along with other identifying information, with their resident state's law enforcement agency. Most registration statutes also require offenders to re-register each time they change their residencies and may require verification of the offender's address. If you are concerned about your status under these rules, contact an experienced Bethesda sex crime defense lawyer from our firm for help and advice.
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False Allegations
False allegations are fairly common, especially in child sex abuse situations. If a child makes the allegations, an older person with a motive may have influenced him or her or the child may have based his accusation on an overactive imagination. Public awareness of child abuse has increased, and more reports of possible abuse are being made, but not all reports are substantiated. Also, even good-faith accusations may not be true, and false allegations may be made to harm the accused. If you find yourself the victim of false allegations, whether well meaning or not, a criminal defense firm can help you take immediate action to defend yourself.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Sex Offenses
Q: How are sex offenses punished?
A: Punishment for a sex offense can vary dramatically depending on the category of crime. A misdemeanor sex crime conviction (such as indecent exposure) might receive less than a year of jail time, a fine, community service, counseling, or even probation. A felony, on the other hand, might be punished by a long prison term (up to a life sentence). Released sex felons must register as sex offenders. Multiple convictions typically lead to increasingly greater punishments.
Q: Is consent a defense?
A: Consent, if it can be proved, is a defense to many sex crimes. However, some people are not considered able to consent to sex under the law. For those individuals, even if they explicitly agree, their agreement is not legally valid. For example, minors, the mentally disabled, and unconscious or intoxicated people (even if they willingly became intoxicated) typically cannot provide valid consent. Statutory rape or date rape charges may result.
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Sex Offenses Resource Links
Information on laws related to sex offenses
Drawn from Cornell University's Legal Information Institute
Megan's Law
An overview of sex offenders registration provided by Nolo
Justice Denied
A magazine devoted to helping people who have been wrongly convicted in the U.S.
SafetyCops
Online source for crime prevention and personal protection information.
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Meng & Alpert, LLC
14507 Main Street
P.O. Box 549
Upper Marlboro, MD 20773
1-866-444-6363
1-301-627-1600
Free Consultations • Credit Cards Accepted
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Television Appearances
Andrew Alpert shares his knowledge of the law on the show "In Session"
with Lisa Bloom. Mr. Alpert gives his opinion in the case of the triple
homicide that happened in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Top Left - Andrew Alpert shares his views on a triple homicide trial in New Mexico aired live on "In Session".
Bottom Left - Andrew Alpert shares his legal opinion with TruTV host Lisa Bloom.
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From our offices in Maryland, our Bethesda criminal defense, personal injury, estate and trust litigation, real property litigation, and DUI/DWI lawyers handle cases throughout the entire state of Maryland, including Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, including the counties of Montgomery County, Howard County, Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County and Frederick County, as well as the cities of Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Columbia, Ellicott City, Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Bowie, College Park, Greenbelt, Oxon Hill. also defend individuals facing DUI charges in metropolitan Washington D.C.
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