At the David W. Martin Law Group, our criminal defense lawyers in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina are committed to providing each of our nearly 90,000 residents with the legal representation they need to counter the solicitor’s office after a criminal investigation, arrest, or charge has disrupted their life.
Our Charleston County defense lawyers know that just because you have been accused of a crime does not mean you are guilty of a crime, and it is our duty to stand by our clients and protect their rights throughout the legal process to ensure we are pursuing the best outcome available for your unique circumstances.
We are committed to pursuing real-time solutions for our clients, so they can face their charges with confidence.
David W. Martin Law Group Mount Pleasant Criminal Defense Attorneys
At the David W. Martin Law Group, our criminal defense lawyer in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina focuses on the legal aspects of your case to outline the facts of your case along with the supporting evidence the solicitor’s office has to pursue your charges.
Our Mount Pleasant criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been investigated, arrested, or charged with the following crimes:
- Drug Crimes
- DUAC
- DUI
- Traffic Violations
- Assault & Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- Shoplifting
- Sex Crimes
- Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor
- Gun Crimes
- Murder/Attempted Murder
Even if you are not guilty of the charges waged against you, it is important to partner with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can ensure your rights are protected throughout the legal process and hold the solicitor accountable for the required burden to prove you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
How Can a Criminal Defense Attorney Help Me When I Have Been Accused of a Mount Pleasant Sex Crime I Did Not Commit?
No one is immune to criminal sexual conduct charges, also known as sex crimes, even when they are completely innocent of the accusations brought against them.
It is not unheard of for one person to accuse another of a sex crime, even when one has not occurred. Law enforcement officials must investigate these accusations, which is completely understandable.
However, they must also have evidence that a crime occurred. Unfortunately, once someone has been accused of a sex crime, it is difficult to shed the stigma even if it is not true, or when they are proven not guilty.
Sex crime charges in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina can include:
- Lewd act and dissemination
- Criminal sexual conduct of any degree
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
- Criminal sexual conduct with a minor of any degree
- Sexual exploitation, also called child pornography
- State Internet Child Pornography
Sex crimes can be charged in the first, second, or third degree, and the penalties for each can be severe based on the charges or the alleged offender’s criminal history.
At the David W. Martin Law Group, our criminal defense lawyers in Mount Pleasant will review the allegations against you and any evidence the solicitor’s office has to pursue charges, so we can counter them with experience and a commitment to producing the best results for your unique case.
What Are the Penalties for Sex Crimes in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina?
Criminal Sexual Conduct charges are defined by the act itself and are punishable by the legal degree under which they fall.
The lowest criminal sexual conduct charges are in the third-degree and include engaging in sexual battery with someone who is physically helpless, incapacitated, or by force or coercion. Each of which is punishable by up to ten years of imprisonment.
The next level of criminal sexual conduct is CSC in the second-degree, which is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, and requires engaging in sexual battery through aggravated coercion using force, violence, or a highly aggravated nature to overcome another person.
Criminal Sexual Conduct in the first-degree requires engaging in sexual battery with someone using physical force or violence, aggravated force, or the use of a deadly weapon.
Other CSC in the first-degree charges can stem from forcibly confining or kidnapping someone, during the course of a burglary or robbery, or using an intoxicant or drug to incapacitate someone.
Each of these actions can result in up to 30 years imprisonment when convicted.
Will I Have to Register As a Sex Offender If I Am Convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina?
If you are convicted of criminal sexual conduct in South Carolina, you must register as a sex offender.
That means your name will appear on our state’s sex offender registry, which means anyone with an internet connection do a direct search for your name or search a certain geographical area and your name may appear in the results.
Registering as a sex offender has severe consequences in South Carolina, which can include more than the stigma of being branded as a sex offender, including:
- Strict registering requirements
- Employment restrictions and lack of opportunities
- Restricted residency, dictating where you can and cannot live
- Decreased privacy
- Loss of child custody
The bias and intolerance that accompanies the sex offender registry can change your life and interfere with your ability to live a full and healthy life without being discriminated against in your neighborhood, workplace, or by the general public.
If you are being investigated or have been arrested and charged with a sex crime, contact our Mount Pleasant criminal defense lawyers at the David W. Martin Law Group today to learn more about your rights and how we can help pursue the best outcome available for your unique circumstances.
The outcome and consequences of your sex crimes charges are too important to leave to chance. Allow our experienced defense attorneys to help you discover the solutions you need to put these charges behind you.
How Do Domestic Violence Charges Apply in South Carolina?
The Domestic Violence laws in South Carolina focus on a specific set of people who are described as household members, otherwise, the charges may be enforced as assault and battery.
Domestic violence charges only apply when the alleged altercation occurs between household members, which are designated as current or former spouses, a couple who lives together or used to live together, or two people who share children.
Mount Pleasant domestic violence charges come with severe legal consequences, which is why it is so important to partner with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who will explain your rights and prepare your case to achieve the best outcome, so you do not have to carry a domestic violence conviction on your record going forward.
Contact Our Trial-Tested Defense Lawyers in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Today for a Consultation
If you have been investigated, arrested, or charged with a sex crime, contact our experienced criminal defense attorneys in Mount Pleasant today by calling (803) 548-2468 to schedule a consultation, so you can learn exactly what a conviction will mean to your freedom and your livelihood going forward.
Even if you are innocent of the charges waged against you, the solicitor’s office will do their due diligence in reviewing your case, which may mean being pressured to bring charges against you without the proper evidence to do so.
Do not face the solicitor’s office alone. Allow our experience and skill to guide you through the legal process, so you can pursue the best outcome available for your criminal case.
