Sex Offenses Attorney in Clermont, Florida

In Florida, sex crimes include sexual battery, indecent exposure, child pornography, prostitution, and lewd and lascivious conduct. Sex crime charges are often serious and can have a devastating impact on your life and future. Unfortunately, a sex crime conviction could possibly jeopardize your professional and personal reputation, and ability to secure housing, employment, and government assistance. With your freedom and future on the line, you may naturally feel terrified and overwhelmed. 

If you're facing sex crimes charges or under investigation for a sex-related offense, hiring an aggressive Florida criminal defense attorney is imperative for detailed guidance. At the Law Offices of D. D. Archer, PA, we are devoted to offering comprehensive legal counsel and reliable representation to clients in their sex crime cases. Our skilled attorney will fight tirelessly to protect your legal rights and ensure that those accusations don't ruin your life.   

The Law Offices of D. D. Archer, PA, proudly represents clients across Clermont, Florida, and the surrounding areas of Polk County, Seminole County, Sumter County, and Lake County.

Types of Sex-Related Crimes in Florida 

In Florida, sex crimes involve various offenses relating to sexual activities, unlawful sexual contact, and non-consensual sexual acts that can be prosecuted by state courts. Below are some of the most common sex-related crimes in The Sunshine State: 

Sexual Battery 

According to Florida law, sexual battery involves any kind of anal, oral, or female genital penetration done without the victim's lawful consent. 

Statutory Rape 

Under Florida law, statutory rape is an offense that occurs when an adult (a person 18 years or older) engages in sexual activity with a minor (a person below 18 years), even when the sexual act was consensual. 

Indecent Exposure 

According to Florida law, it is an offense for a person to expose or exhibit their sexual organs in public or on another person's private premises to be seen by other people in an indecent or vulgar way. 

Child Pornography 

Under Florida law, child pornography is a crime that occurs when a person produces, possesses, or distributes an image that depicts a minor engaged in sexual activity. 

Prostitution 

According to Florida statutes, a person may be guilty of prostitution for engaging in sexual activity in exchange for a fee. 

Lewd and Lascivious Battery 

In Florida, a person may be charged with lewd and lascivious battery for: 

• Engaging in sexual activity with another person between 12 and 16 years. 

• Forcing, encouraging, or enticing someone below 16 years to participate in prostitution, sexual bestiality, sadomasochistic abuse, or any other sexual act. 

However, this isn't a comprehensive list of the sex crime cases that we handle at our firm. If you or someone you know has recently been arrested or indicted with a sex crime, you need to reach out to a highly-skilled criminal defense attorney immediately. Our knowledgeable attorney can enlighten you about the nature of your charges and determine the best course of action.

Defining Consent 

Under Florida law, consent means intelligently, knowingly, and voluntarily agreeing to participate in sexual activity with another person. In Florida, the age of consent is 18 years. Essentially, it is unlawful for any person to engage in sexual activity with a minor (a person below 18 years). 

Registering as a Sex Offender 

In the state of Florida, individuals who have been convicted of – or plead guilty to – a qualifying sex-related crime must register as a sex offender upon release. Some sex crimes that qualify for sex offender registration in Florida include but are not limited to: 

• Sexual battery 

• Lewd and lascivious battery 

• Sexual misconduct 

• Unlawful sexual activity with minors 

• False imprisonment of a minor below 13 years 

• Selling or buying of minors 

• Kidnapping a minor under 13 years 

• Video voyeurism of a minor 

• Luring or enticing a child 

• Human trafficking 

• Computer pornography 

• Child pornography 

Also, sex offenders are required to report at the sheriff's office in their county of residence and provide their personal information and other details. Unless exempt, such information will be made available in the person's public record. Unfortunately, registering as a sex offender can result in various difficulties when securing housing, employment, loans, and educational opportunities. 

Possible Penalties 

In the state of Florida, sex-related crimes are usually punished severely. Depending on the surrounding circumstances, a sex crime conviction could potentially result in any of these penalties and consequences: 

• Lengthy prison sentence (ranging from months, years, or decades) 

• Hefty fines 

• Registration as a sex offender 

• Loss of personal freedom and social prospects. 

• Deterioration of personal and professional relationships 

• A criminal record/history 

• Loss of your rights to possess, carry a firearm or gun 

• Increased difficulty in getting government assistance or public benefits 

• Increased difficulty in securing employment, housing, and educational opportunities 

A dependable Florida sex crimes defense lawyer can investigate every detail of your case thoroughly and explore the possible defenses to help fight your charges and avoid or mitigate the far-reaching ramifications of a criminal conviction. 

Work With a Knowledgeable Criminal Defense Attorney 

Defending your sex crime allegations without reliable representation could increase your risks of getting convicted and suffering the maximum penalties. If convicted, you could be facing massive fines, lengthy incarceration, a criminal record, registration as a sex offender, and other life-altering consequences. Therefore, when arrested and charged with a sex crime, it is paramount that you retain a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney to help build your defense strategy. 

With almost 20 years of experience, our attorney has dedicated their career to protecting individuals charged with sex offenses from suffering devastating punishments. As your legal counsel, we can investigate every detail of your case and outline an effective defense strategy to help fight your charges. Also, we will represent you vigorously in every phase of the legal proceedings, work hard to strive to dispute the allegations against you with factual evidence, and make sure you get a fair hearing.