When a person engages in a sex act without the other person’s consent, the act is considered rape. The two general distinctions of rape include when an individual proceeds to have intercourse with someone else without their consent, or if the individual is 18 or older and proceeds to have intercourse with someone under the age of 13, regardless if consent was given or not. Depending on what type of rape offense a person is charged with, the specific charge will carry different consequences.
If you are facing allegations, you should contact a rape lawyer in Prince William County who can use their experience and knowledge to defend you as soon as possible. An experienced sex crimes attorney will give your case the attention it deserves and work hard to investigate and begin your defense.
The penalties and consequences for a rape conviction can be severe. The penalties for rape will usually include prison time. There is a mandatory minimum charge for rape for an individual involved with someone under the age of 13. If the individual being accused of a rape charge is over 18 and is involved with someone with a three-year age gap, this could be an aggravating factor and would carry a mandatory minimum of 25 years to life sentence. There can be a variety of other consequences for a conviction of rape that a Prince William County rape attorney will try to mitigate.
The consequences can be severe and will generally carry a stigma. These are hard crimes to put in front of a jury because, often juries are going to be biased against individuals accused of rape, making the stakes much higher. There can be a lot of technical and physical evidence in these cases, such as DNA, rape kits, and bruising and bodily injuries to the alleged victim, which can make them sensitive in nature, and therefore a person should quickly obtain the services of a rape attorney in Prince William County who has experience in these types of cases.
Statutory rape occurs when one of the following takes place:
1) One of the individuals engaging in the sex act is a minor
2) Both are minors and one is under 13,
3) Both are minors and the age difference is greater than three years.
Romeo and Juliet rights entail sex between minors, which is still considered illegal but there are certain circumstances where it’s less serious than it would be if it was an adult having sex with a minor. For example, if two individuals are involved in a sex act, and both are over the age of 13 with less than a three-year gap, it’s only a Class 4 Misdemeanor, and therefore only a fine would be issued.
If you are facing rape charges, a Prince William County rape attorney can help inform you about the right actions to take to defend yourself. An experienced lawyer will counsel you on how to handle questioning with the police in order to not incriminate yourself. A Prince William County rape lawyer will be able to offer you advice on what to expect as the case unfolds, and at what point, if any, you should begin considering a plea offer based on the lawyer’s experience in Prince William County.