Sex Crimes
Need of Experienced Vancouver Sex Crime Defense Attorney
An accusation of a sex crime is extremely dangerous. Everyone has strong feelings about these crimes and about sex offenders. Even a wrongful accusation of child molestation, sexual assault or Internet child pornography can bring your life and career to a halt. It’s important that your attorney be sensitive to the special considerations of these cases and know how to navigate a system that will be stacked against you. As an experienced local Vancouver sex crime defense attorney, I have that sensitivity and experience.
You may have heard about the Three Strikes law. Certain violent crimes are designated as “strikes”, meaning that upon a third conviction, the punishment is a mandatory life prison sentence with no possibility of parole. Sex crimes are treated even more severely. Washington State has a “two strikes” law applicable to certain sex crimes, making life imprisonment without the possibility of parole mandatory upon the second conviction.
Conviction of a “strikeable” sex crime can put you half-way to a mandatory life in prison. But what you may not know is that Washington State has a uniquely dangerous and antiquated system of dealing with sex crimes that may result in a lifetime prison commitment, even on a first offense. This applies particularly to innocent men wrongfully convicted who cannot successfully complete sex offender treatment programs that are required for release. An innocent man convicted of a sex crime may spend the rest of his life in prison because of his inability to successfully complete sex offender treatment. Don’t let this happen to you; avoid any exposure by avoiding conviction in the first place.
A Nation Obsessed with Sex
In addition to our firm’s experience defending sex crimes like Rape, Child Molestation and Internet Child Pornography, we also defend against all the other miscellaneous crimes that the government continues to define and enforce. We live in a society that is preoccupied with sex, so it’s not surprising that there are so many miscellaneous sex crimes prosecuted every year. Every year we confront charges like Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes, Patronizing a Prostitute, Indecent Exposure, Indecent Liberties, Voyeurism, Pimping, Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, and a variety of other, less-common, but equally serious sex crimes.
You Don’t Want to be a Registered Sex Offender
Sex offender registration is a modern day Scarlet Letter. If convicted of a sex crime, you may have to register with your local sheriff regularly for the rest of your life, with your name, picture and address posted on websites and at schools and public meetings held by police in your neighborhood.
Registered sex offenders are often driven out of communities and branded for life. In the drive to crack down and look tough on crime, state and federal legislatures have continued to add new crimes to the list each year. In some cases, these crimes are added retroactively, making it entirely possible that something you pleaded guilty to last year will make you a registered sex offender next year.
When Treatment is Needed, There are Alternatives to Prison
It’s also important to know that for those situations where treatment may be beneficial, there are alternatives to prison. The Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative (SSOSA) is one of these alternatives and it categorically avoids prison altogether in favor of local outpatient treatment. If treatment is an appropriate choice for you, it’s important that your lawyer know how to navigate the system to obtain a SSOSA. I know how to get these alternatives in appropriate cases and how to prepare you for the required Psychosexual evaluation and Polygraph examination. Don’t limit your choices. Take sex crime offenses seriously. Police and prosecutors do.
Free Consultation With Vancouver Sex Crime Defense Attorney
The Law Office of Erin Bradley McAleer will fight to ensure that you achieve the best possible outcome in your case. Call us today at (360) 334-6277 to schedule a free, confidential consultation with Vancouver sex crime defense attorney.
The Law Office of Erin Bradley McAleer represents clients throughout Southwest Washington State, including in Clark County, Cowlitz County, and Skamania County and Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal, Woodland, Yacolt, Castle Rock, Kalama, Kelso, Longview, North Bonneville, and Stevenson. Attorney Erin Bradley McAleer focuses on the areas of Criminal Defense, Bankruptcy, Traffic Infractions, Landlord Tenant, Personal Injury, Firearm Rights Restoration, and Post-Conviction Relief (Vacating & Sealing Criminal Records).