Experienced Tippecanoe County Child Molestation Attorney
Being accused of child molestation in Tippecanoe County is a terrifying experience. This is a serious charge, and should you be convicted, the consequences can have a devastating impact on your personal and professional life. Whether you were accused of child molestation in Lafayette or Shadeland, it is essential to speak with a Tippecanoe County child molestation lawyer who can protect your rights.
Protect Your Future With The Criminal Defense Team
At The Criminal Defense Team, our Tippecanoe County sex crime lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience when it comes to protecting our clients. We are proud to provide you with a relentless and personalized defense, and we stop at nothing when it comes to protecting your future. We understand the confusion and terror you are likely feeling when facing the high stakes of child molestation and are here with seasoned guidance and advocacy.
Defense lawyers Andrew Baldwin, Kathie Perry, Maxwell Wiley, Kelly Pyle, and Michael C. Cunningham are Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialists, as certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Find out why having a Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialist as your defense lawyer is important here. Throughout Indiana, there are only six Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialists, and five of them work at The Criminal Defense Team.
Defining Child Molestation in Indiana
In the United States, an individual is sexually assaulted every minute, and every nine minutes, that individual is a child. Indiana state law defines child molestation as the act of engaging in any kind of sexual contact or activity with a child who is under the age of 14. Typically, this offense is charged as a Level 3 felony, but can be upgraded to a Level 1 felony if any of the following aggravating factors are present:
- The alleged offender of the crime is at least 21 years old.
- The act was allegedly committed by using or threatening to use any kind of deadly force or while the offender was armed with a deadly weapon.
- The act of molestation has allegedly resulted in bodily injury.
- The act of molestation occurred by facilitating the alleged victim with a drug or controlled substance without the victim’s knowledge.
- The act of molestation results in the transmission of a serious sexually transmitted disease, while the alleged offender knew that they were carrying this disease.
Child molestation is a serious charge, but your defense team is here to take your case and the protection of your rights just as seriously in Tippecanoe County.
Penalties for a Child Molestation Conviction
When an individual is convicted of child molestation in Tippecanoe County, they may face a range of severe and life-altering penalties. Apart from the expected prison time and high fines, there are certain collateral consequences that can be faced. These collateral consequences include:
- Registration as a sex and/or violent offender: Many individuals convicted of child molestation in Indiana are legally required to register as a sexual offender or violent offender on a public database. In many cases, this mandatory registration is for life.
- Employment issues: There are around two million people currently incarcerated in the United States, and around 60% of these individuals may be jobless upon and following their release. Due to a permanent felony record and registration as a sex offender, it is nearly impossible to find employment in a variety of fields, especially those fields that involve children, the government, or healthcare.
- Loss of rights: When convicted of a felony in Indiana, you permanently lose a number of rights, including the right to own a firearm, and you are likely to face devastating restrictions on your rights to visitation and parenting time with your children.
- Housing restrictions: Due to a conviction and having to register as a sex offender, you are not able to live near parks, schools, or daycares. Additionally, many landlords may be hesitant to rent housing to someone with a felony criminal record, especially one that involves a charge of child molestation.
If you or a loved one has been charged with child molestation in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, time is of the essence. When you choose to work with The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley, P.C., you don’t get a single lawyer. Instead, you are assigned at least two attorneys and a paralegal who are here to work for you.
FAQs
How Can You Defend Against a Charge of Child Molestation?
Depending on the circumstances of the charge against you, there are a number of defenses that may prove useful in a child molestation case. These defenses include proving that you are the victim of false accusations or a mistaken identity, challenging the credibility of any evidence or eyewitness testimony, and proving that you were given consent before engaging in the sexual act.
Why Should I Hire a Child Molestation Lawyer?
You need to hire a child molestation lawyer because the state does everything in its power to secure a conviction, and you need a legal advocate who can protect you. The Criminal Defense Team is here 24/7, with an attorney on-call to answer your questions and represent you when you need us most. Day or night, we are here to serve you.
What Mistakes Should I Avoid When Accused of Child Molestation?
If you are accused of child molestation in Tippecanoe County, the biggest mistake you need to avoid is speaking about the allegation in order to convince someone that the crime did not happen. While this is often done in hopes that no charges are filed, it hardly proves helpful, and you may accidentally say something that ends up being used against you.
How Long Can a Child Molestation Case Take in Indiana?
In Indiana, the length of time it takes to resolve a child molestation case can depend on the factors of the case itself. Depending on the complexity of your case, the nature of the exact charges, the availability of evidence, and whether your case progresses to trial can all affect the general timeline.
Hire a Tippecanoe County Child Molestation Lawyer Today
When the time comes to hire a child molestation lawyer in Tippecanoe County, look no further than The Criminal Defense Team. We are here to meet you where you are and defend you to the greatest extent of our ability. To learn more about how a Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialist can protect you, contact our Indiana-based firm and schedule a consultation.