Rape charges and other sex offenses carry heavy penalties and can change your life forever. If you are convicted of a sex crime you can face the prospect of having to permanently register as a sex offer. Your registration as a sex offender can impact your ability to get a job, or to rent a home or apartment. If you have been charged with a sex crime in New York City, it is imperative that you seek counsel with an experienced New York City Sex Crimes defense attorney.
Date Rape in New York City
Sexual intercourse without the other person’s consent is defined as rape. In the 1970’s New York removed the corroboration requirement that said the plaintiff in a rape case must have some kind of evidence that the sex was perpetrated against their will. As a result it is now much easier for someone to make rape accusations in New York.
Although district attorneys must investigate all rape claims there are often charges brought in cases where the defendant thought the victim wanted to have sex. A defendant can has his life ruined just for answering the charges of a rape case. It is imperative, that if you have been charged with rape in New York that you contact a competent and experienced attorney immediately.
Statutory Rape in New York City
Statutory rape is the rape of a child under the age of consent. The age of consent in New York is generally 17 however the age can differ depending on the age of the defendant. Sex with children under 11 years old is always a first degree rape, regardless of the age of the defendant. Regardless of the defendant’s age, all statutory rape charges are serious sexual felonies and anyone who is charged with statutory rape in New York should consult with a qualified criminal defense lawyer immediately.
Child Pornography in New York City
It is both a federal and state crime to possess, produce or traffic images of children in any sexual activity. Anyone under the age of 18 is defined as a child under federal law. State and federal law enforcement have been extremely aggressive investigating child pornography on the internet. Every website that you visit on your computer is recorded somewhere and it is now easy to use to computer forensics to find erased files on the hard drive of a computer.
Penalties for first time offenders in child pornography cases are harsh. Prison time is common even in possession cases. There is a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison for anyone convicted for the transmission of child pornography. This could be as simple as emailing one image to an undercover investigator.
New York City Sex Offender Registration Act
The Sex Offender Registration Act is also known as SORA or “Megan’s Law”. SORA mandates that everyone convicted of a sex offense in New York to register with the state. Everyone listed on SORA is subject to a complicated “risk level” score ranging from the highest risk rating of three to the lowest risk rating of one. . If convicted of a sex offense, you must be especially diligent when complying with each aspect of the law to avoid re-arrest.