What To Do If Accused Of Inappropriate Touching Of A Child In Denver, Colorado
Being accused of having sexual contact with a child
, i.e. child sex assault, can be one of the more horrifying things that can happen to a person. Increased national attention to child sex assault offenders has led to an increase in the false accusations of such conduct. False accusations of this kind occur in all sorts of circumstances, but are mainly prevalent in divorce and child custody proceedings.In Denver, and all other Colorado counties, child sex assault accusations can lead to the criminal charge of "sex assault on a child". The sexual assault on a child statute criminalizes any person, the actor, from having "sexual contact" with another person, the child, who is under the age of 15 years old, where the actor is at least 4 years older than the child. "Sexual contact" means any touching of the child"s "intimate parts", either under or over clothing. "Intimate parts" includes the butt or groin area of either a boy or a girl, and the breast of a girl.
"Sex assault on a child" is a very serious crime in Denver and all other Colorado counties. Sexual assault on a child is a felony and, upon conviction, carries a potential prison sentence that can include up to the remainder of the accused person"s life. The actual consequences for a conviction for child molestation will depend, of course, on the particular circumstances of each case. However, the consequences are severe even when a person convicted of sex assault on a child is lucky enough to avoid a prison sentence. Colorado law requires that anyone convicted of a sex offense, including sex assault on a child, register as a sex offender and undergo a sex offender evaluation and subsequent treatment. In addition, the stigma that is created as a result of being convicted of child molestation can cause irreparable harm to a person"s reputation within his or her community, as well as with friends and family.
So what do you do if you have been accused of sex assault on a child? Generally, such accusations occur in one of two ways. 1) You are contacted by an investigator from a local law enforcement agency who notifies you that accusations of child molestation have been made, and 2) a family member notifies you that a child is accusing you of having sexual contact with him or her. The Denver criminal defense attorneys at Frankfurt & Trani, P.C. advise anyone accused of sex assault on a child do two things immediately:
1) Stop talking - You have a constitutional right to remain silent and you must use it in this situation. Any statements that you make, even if they are intended to deny the accusations, can later be used against you if you end up being charged with sex assault on a child. Often times, statements that are made to an investigator or another person early in the process are later harmful to your ability to defend against child molestation accusations.
2) Retain a Denver criminal defense lawyer who specializes in sexual assault on a child cases. A criminal defense attorney who is experienced and knowledgeable about child sex assault cases can assist you in dealing with an investigation of such accusations. An attorney can speak to an investigator on your behalf without the concern that those statement will be used against you later on in the process. Whether it is the Denver criminal defense attorneys at Frankfurt & Trani, P.C., or someone else, it is essential that you retain a lawyer as soon as possible if you have been accused of child sex assault.
Please call the Denver child sex assault criminal defense attorneys at Frankfurt & Trani, P.C. for a FREE Consultation. (303) 830-0090.
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