Zionsville Sexual Misconduct With a Minor Attorney
When you’re looking for a Zionsville sexual misconduct with a minor lawyer, it’s often because someone you know is dealing with a life-altering accusation. Sexual misconduct with a minor is one of Indiana’s most vigorously prosecuted sex crimes. Even without any physical violence or force, and even if the relationship was consensual, these charges can still lead to serious consequences like felonies, jail time, and sex offender registration.
About The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley P.C.
The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley P.C. is an Indiana criminal defense law firm serving clients throughout Zionsville and Noblesville. We work hard for clients in Boone County, Hamilton County, and the neighboring communities in Indiana like Marion, Hendricks, and Johnson Counties. We’ve successfully handled defense cases at the Boone County Courthouse located at 100 N. Main Street, Lebanon, IN 46052.
At The Criminal Defense Team, we structure our firm around serious felony defense. Each serious case is handled with a team approach, with at least two attorneys and a paralegal assigned to it.
Not only do we have multiple attorneys carefully reviewing every piece of evidence, but we also have a former prosecutor on staff who regularly tried major felony cases and homicides. This insider experience allows us to identify weak areas in the state’s version of events and the evidence they claim to have. The Criminal Defense Team has five of the six Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialists in the state.
Indiana Sexual Misconduct With a Minor Laws
According to the Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse & Suicide, 1 out of every 4 girls and 1 out of every 6 boys is sexually abused. Additionally, 1 in 5 children are sexually solicited online.
Sexual misconduct with a minor in Indiana is written into Indiana Code § 35-42-4-9. This Indiana law makes it illegal for an adult to knowingly or intentionally engage in sexual intercourse or sexual contact with someone who is at least 14 but less than 16. It’s important to note that this charge can apply even when no force was used, even when both parties were dating, and even when the minor agrees to the sexual contact.
The Complexity of the Charges
Sexual misconduct with a minor is one of Indiana’s more complicated felony charges. That’s because Indiana law prohibits adults from having certain types of sexual conduct with minors of any age. In practice, this means prosecutors can file sexual misconduct with a minor charges in many situations that people wouldn’t expect.
Because these cases sometimes involve teenagers in relationships, communications on smartphones or computers, and no apparent injury or violence, the allegations can come as a complete shock.
Why This Charge Applies Even When There Is No Force
Sexual misconduct with a minor is not rape. It’s also distinct from child molesting. Still, prosecutors often file these cases as violent felonies because they can do serious harm to minors and involve potentially upsetting sex offense allegations. Even if the scenario involves only a conversation, the state can still seek felony charges that carry prison time.
Penalties and Other Consequences
Just like child molesting, sexual misconduct with a minor can be charged as a felony. Depending on the situation, the penalties could be severe, potentially leading to lengthy prison terms. There are also life-altering consequences for many people charged with this crime, including:
- The potential to lose your livelihood and reputation
- Losing custody of your children
- If you are a student, having your scholarships or tuition placed in jeopardy
- Sex offender registry
Should you find yourself facing an investigation or charges of this nature, getting a lawyer experienced in sexual misconduct cases is highly recommended. The sooner you have someone on your side, the better.
What to Do if Charged With Sexual Misconduct With a Minor
When charged with sexual misconduct with a minor in Indiana, the first thing you should do is remain calm and invoke your right to remain silent. You should not discuss your case with the police, alleged victims, friends, or on social media. Everything you say can and will be used against you in court. Refrain from contacting the individual who made the accusation, even with good intentions, as this could result in further charges or a violation of your bond.
Save any possible evidence, such as text messages and phone records. Call an experienced Zionsville sexual misconduct with a minor attorney who can stand up for your rights, examine the allegations made against you, and start working on your defense strategy immediately.
Hire a Sexual Misconduct With a Minor Lawyer
Just as you wouldn’t hire any doctor for your medical issues, you wouldn’t hire any lawyer for your legal issues; you would hire a specialist. If you find yourself under investigation or charged, you should choose to hire a sexual misconduct with a minor lawyer as soon as possible. Cases like these progress very quickly. Once you’ve made a statement or agreed to a device search, it’s an incredibly difficult situation to recover from.
Having an attorney from the start allows your defense team to advocate for your rights to be protected during any interactions with the police, begin investigating independently, review discovery early on, and file motions to suppress illegal searches or improperly gathered statements. Early on, your lawyer can also challenge any inflated charges from the prosecution and argue for the most favorable presentation of the evidence.
Attorneys experienced in serious felonies are essential for navigating sexual misconduct with a minor cases. At The Criminal Defense Team, we operate as a team. Every serious case is staffed with at least two attorneys and a paralegal. This means we critically deconstruct every piece of evidence to expose the prosecution’s weakest links and build the strongest case on your behalf.
Contact The Criminal Defense Team Today
Handling serious cases means we have the resources to properly review massive amounts of discovery. Whether that be terabytes of digital downloads or complicated forensic evidence. There are only six Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialists in the entire state of Indiana. Five of them work with The Criminal Defense Team. That level of trial-focused experience matters when your future is on the line.
Being accused of sexual misconduct with a minor in Zionsville or Boone County is a serious matter. These cases can be emotionally charged and based on digital evidence that must be reviewed quickly. Contact our office today to talk to a member of our defense team. We can review all your options and help you decide what to do next. No matter what you decide, we stand by your decision and continue to advocate for you.
*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.