Sex crime laws in Florida are extremely broad, and carry a wide array of penalties upon conviction. Florida has some of the harshest penalties for sex offenders and predators in the country. Ignorance of the law or of the accuser’s age is not a legal defense. The experienced attorneys at Attorneys, can help those accused of sex crimes by gathering evidence and evaluating testimony with a critical eye in order to build a strong defense.

Sex Crime Charges

A number of charges fall within the definition of sex crimes in Florida, including, but not limited to: rape, child molestation, sexual battery, possession of child pornography, lewd conduct and failure to register as a sex offender.

• A forcible rape was committed every 88 minutes.
• A forcible sex offense of any type occurred every 49 minutes

Guilty Until Proven Innocent?

In many cases, accusations of sex crimes are not true or based on any real event. Spurned partners or spouses often make the claim in an attempt to exact revenge. However, the mere allegation of a sex crime has the potential to do as much damage to one’s life in terms of reputation, employment and family relations as an actual conviction. The repercussions of a conviction can last a lifetime. Many sex crime convictions result in forced registration as a sexual offender or sexual predator. Failure to register as ordered can result in significant prison time.

If you have been charged with a sex crime, or are being questioned in connection with a sex crime, having experienced, knowledgeable legal counsel is critical. The lawyers at Attorneys, have the expertise and resources to defend you in these serious cases.

The terms ‘sex offender’ and ‘sex predator’ sometimes are used interchangeably by the general public. But, according to the Florida courts, they are very different. A sex offender is not necessarily a sex predator. Being labeled as a sex predator is the more severe of the two. There are many qualifiers for either status, but generally, a sex predator is a person previously convicted of a sex crime, and is therefore deemed by the court to warrant such designation.