Capable Criminal Defense Lawyer Serving Greenville Clients Accused of Sex Crimes
All sex crimes in South Carolina are considered felonies if convicted. Because of the intimate and invasive nature of these crimes and their lasting emotional impact on the victim, they are treated incredibly seriously and can result in long prison sentences. If you have been charged with a sex crime, it is imperative that you secure aggressive criminal defense as soon as possible.
What is a Sex Crime?
Sex crimes are defined as any unwanted sexual contact, from verbal abuse to physical penetration and many actions in between. All sexual assault charges result in felonies if convicted and cannot be dismissed pre-trial, even if the victim doesn’t personally bring charges. Furthermore, sentences for these crimes cannot be suspended or lessened by probation.
Punishments for Sex Crimes
Like other assault charges, sex crimes are organized in three degrees of severity; first, second, and third.
First-degree sexual assault felonies are punishable by 10-30 years in prison and are reserved for the worst cases involving aggravated force, confinement or kidnapping, or the use of an incapacitating substance.
Second-degree sexual assault felonies result in a 5-20 year jail sentence and are defined as any act in which one person engages in sexual battery with another through the use of aggravated coercion.
Finally, third-degree sex crime felonies incur a 3-10 year jail sentence and are characterized by the use of coercion without aggravating factors (such as a weapon) and/or if the victim was physically or mentally incapacitated.