Clinton, Tennessee Sex Crimes Defense Attorney

Few criminal charges have the same legal, social, and personal impact as sex crimes. When a person is accused of a sex crime, investigated by law enforcement, or arrested, their reputation, relationships, career, and freedom may also be affected. Addressing these accusations, defending against a conviction, and resolving a case successfully will usually require the assistance of a skilled and experienced criminal defense lawyer.

The decisions you make after learning about accusations of a sex crime can affect how your case will play out, the options for defense that may be available, and the ways you may protect against damage to your reputation. At The Baker Law Firm, our lawyer can help you address charges related to sex offenses. He will work to protect your rights, address the evidence that may play a role in your case, and work to achieve an outcome that will help you minimize the ways your life may be affected.

Sexual Assault Charges and Penalties in Tennessee

When a person is accused of sexual assault in Tennessee, they may be charged with sexual battery or rape. Sexual battery generally involves sexual contact that occurs without the consent of the alleged victim, while rape involves nonconsensual sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration. Sexual battery and rape charges are typically classified as felonies. The penalties for a conviction may range from a few years in prison to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Consent is a central issue in sexual assault cases. A person may be accused of acting without consent if they used force, if they made threats, or if they used coercion. Some cases may involve fraud in which someone is accused of tricking an alleged victim into engaging in sexual activities. A person may also be charged with sexual assault if the alleged victim was unable to give consent because they were unconscious, intoxicated, or physically or mentally incapacitated.

The most serious sexual assault charges involve child victims. A person may face charges of aggravated sexual battery if they allegedly engaged in sexual contact with a child under the age of 13. Statutory rape charges may apply if an adult allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 18. Intercourse with a minor under the age of 13 can lead to charges of child rape, as well as other related offenses, such as sexual exploitation of a minor.

Online Solicitation of a Minor

The ways people use the internet have led to investigations and criminal cases in which people may be accused of interacting with children online and engaging in sexual offenses. A person could be charged with online solicitation of a minor if they allegedly communicated with a child using websites, social media, text messages, or other forms of digital communication and attempted to engage in illegal sexual activity.

Notably, these charges may apply regardless of whether a person was communicating with an actual minor. If the person allegedly believed that they were messaging a child who was under the age of 18, and they attempted to meet the child to engage in sexual activities, tried to get the child to send sexually explicit images or videos, or engaged in sexually explicit conversations, they may face charges of online solicitation. Undercover law enforcement operations in which an officer poses as a minor may serve as the basis for online solicitation charges.

Digital evidence can play an important role in online solicitation cases. Officers may gather chat logs, text messages, emails, and data about a person's online activities as they take steps to show that the person believed that they were communicating with a minor. Our attorney can review digital evidence, looking at how it was obtained, whether illegal searches were performed, or whether officers engaged in entrapment and encouraged a person to engage in illegal activities that they would not have done otherwise.

Child Pornography and CSAM Offenses

Charges related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) can be serious. As they take steps to protect children against sexual exploitation, law enforcement officials may identify people who have allegedly downloaded or shared child pornography. The criminal charges in these cases can be serious, and they may include:

Possession of CSAM

When a person is accused of possessing material that depicts a minor who is engaging in sexual activity, they may face felony charges. These cases may involve accusations that a person downloaded CSAM from websites, obtained physical photos or videos of children engaging in sexual activities, or took other actions to access child pornography.

Distribution of CSAM

Accusations that a person has made CSAM available to others can lead to charges that are more serious than child pornography possession charges. These cases may involve claims that a person uploaded CSAM to websites or shared CSAM through file sharing networks, email, messaging applications, or cloud storage services.

Production of CSAM

The most serious child pornography charges involve accusations of producing CSAM. Any involvement in recording or photographing children in sexual situations or creating materials that depicts actual minors in a sexual manner could lead to charges of child pornography production. These offenses involve the sexual exploitation of children, and they can result in severe penalties that may include decades in prison.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sex Crimes