Charlotte Sex Crimes Lawyers

Trusted Attorneys Advocating on Your Behalf

Are you facing child pornography charges? Have you served your sentence but find that your conviction continues to plague you? At Jetton & Meredith, our criminal defense attorneys represent clients charged with sex offenses and assist others in getting their names removed from the sex offender registry.* You can trust our sex crimes attorneys in Charlotte to provide you with the knowledgeable representation you deserve.

Child Pornography Charges

A possession of child pornography charge can ruin your life long before you get to trial. You may find that family, close friends, and coworkers have turned against you, leaving you feeling alone and humiliated. A long trial can add to your humiliation, and a conviction can result in serious consequences, including a lengthy prison sentence. After you are released from prison, you may be listed on the sex offender registry. Often, people are falsely accused or the nature of the evidence is being exaggerated by the prosecution.

We explore all avenues and thoroughly investigate your situation to determine the best possible defense strategy in your case. Our attorneys fight for your rights, including invoking your Fourth Amendment rights to prevent illegally acquired evidence from being admitted in court.

Indecent Liberties Charges

The most common type of sex offense charges involve Indecent Liberties with a Minor Child. A conviction for one of these Class F felonies can result in around 2 years in prison and registration as a sex offender for a period of 30 years.

You can be charged with the crime of indecent liberties with a child if you are at least 16 years old and are at least 5 years older than the child in question, and you either:

• Willfully take or attempt to take any immoral, improper, or indecent liberties with a child under the age of 16 for the purpose of arousing or sexual gratification; or
• Willfully commit or attempt to commit any lewd or lascivious act upon or with the body, or any part of the body, of any child under the age of 16.

These laws are interpreted very broadly. Simply touching a child inappropriately can result in a conviction for this felony, or even acts that do not involve touching the child at all. Sending letters or making obscene gestures towards a child for the purpose of sexual gratification can result in a finding of guilt.

Since North Carolina has no statute of limitations, these charges can be from incidents that happened decades ago. That means that evidence and memories can be limited and it makes these charges particularly difficult to defend against. Often the police will contact you before pressing charges, hoping that you make an admission, disclose other evidence, or that you contradict yourself. Any case involving a child being harmed is very sensitive, and you will need skilled representation if you want a jury to believe your word over that of a child. So please reach out to one of our experienced attorneys today.

You can learn more about Indecent Liberties Charges here.

Rape Charges

There are 3 types of rape charges under North Carolina law:

• First Degree Rape
• Second Degree Rape
• Statutory Rape

A person is guilty of first degree rape if the person engages in vaginal intercourse by force and against the will of the other person, and does any of the following:

• Uses, threatens to use, or displays a dangerous or deadly weapon
• Inflicts serious personal injury upon the victim
• The person commits the offense aided by one or more other persons

First degree rape is a Class B1 felony, punishable by up to life without parole. A first-time offender can receive over 25 years in prison. People convicted of any rape charge will have to register as a sex offender for a period of at least 30 years and can even receive satellite based monitoring for decades.

A person is guilty of second degree rape if the person engages in vaginal intercourse:

• By force and against the will of the other person; or
• Who has a mental disability or who is mentally incapacitated or physically helpless, and the person performing the act knows or should reasonably know the other person has a mental disability or is mentally incapacitated or physically helpless

Second degree rape is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 23 years of imprisonment. A first-time offender can receive over 8 years in prison. Someone who has consumed too much alcohol may be considered mentally incapacitated or physically helpless for the purposes of this statute.

Finally, a person is guilty of statutory rape if the person engages in vaginal intercourse with someone who is 15 years of age or younger and the defendant is at least six years older than the person. Statutory Rape is a Class B1 felony, punishable by up to life without parole. A first-time offender can receive over 25 years in prison. Statutory rape charges are particularly difficult cases. Mistaking a person’s age, even if they lied about how old they were, is not a legal defense. Consent is also not a legal defense to statutory rape. If you find yourself being investigated at all for statutory rape, you absolutely must hire a lawyer before speaking with police.

Rape charges are the most serious sex offenses under the law and carry the harshest punishments. If police are asking you questions pertaining to any sexual assault, it is vital that you contact a lawyer for advice as soon as possible. Proving that these allegations are false will take time, effort, and dedication that our lawyers can provide. Call Jetton and Meredith today for help with your sexual assault charge.

Removal from the Sex Offender Registry

Being listed on the sex offender registry severely limits your freedoms. People on the registry face restrictions on where they may live and must report to law enforcement whenever they move to another home. This creates hardships long after you have paid for your offense. It is possible to file a petition and appear at a hearing to get your name removed.* It is to your advantage to hire child pornography lawyers in Charlotte with specific experience representing clients in sex registry hearings. We advocate on behalf of our clients and craft persuasive arguments to present to the judge.