Very Experienced & Dedicated Sex Crimes Attorneys in Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville, South Carolina
The very allegation of a sex crime can change your life in seconds. And the legal requirements necessary to clear your name can quickly become both frustrating and overwhelming.
At the David W. Martin Law Group, our criminal defense attorneys in Fort Mill, South Carolina understand the stigma attached to these charges, and how they can negatively impact every aspect of your personal and professional life.
Some sex crime allegations lead to immediate arrests while others require the solicitor’s office to conduct an in-depth investigation, where you are interviewed extensively by law enforcement officials. If you are being investigated for a sex crime, proactively defending the accusation as soon as you are contacted by police may prevent a charge from ever being made.
No matter how your investigation, arrest, or charges culminated, you have rights. You do not have to speak with the police, detectives, or anyone inside the solicitor’s office without an attorney. And when it comes to these highly personal and emotional cases, it is best if you invoke that right, and allow our criminal defense attorneys in Fort Mill to tell your side of the story.
Just because you have been accused of a sex crime does not mean you are guilty of a sex crime. We will help you make that clear by creating a customized defense strategy for your unique sex crime charges.
What is Considered a Sex Crime in Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville, South Carolina?
In South Carolina, sex crimes fall under a legal category called criminal sexual conduct, which is charged in the first, second, and third degrees.
Sex crime charges in South Carolina can include:
- Criminal sexual conduct of any degree
- Criminal sexual conduct with a minor of any degree
- Criminal solicitation of a minor
- Lewd act and dissemination
- Sexual exploitation also called child pornography
- State Internet Child Pornography
At the David W. Martin Law Group, our Fort Mill & Greenville, South Carolina sex crimes attorneys handle all types of criminal cases, so our clients have local access to the legal defense they need to mitigate the penalties associated with these charges.
What Are the Penalties for Sex Crimes in Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville, South Carolina?
Criminal Sexual Conduct is divided into penalties based on the act and its legal degree of severity.
Criminal Sexual Conduct in the third-degree requires engaging in sexual battery with someone if:
- Force or coercion is used
- The actor knew that the other person was incapacitated
- The alleged injured person was physically helpless
Third-degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony in South Carolina and is punishable by up to ten years of imprisonment.
Criminal Sexual Conduct in the second-degree requires engaging in the sexual battery through aggravated coercion for this purpose as using or a highly aggravated nature, force, or violence to overcome another person.
Second-degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony in South Carolina and is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.
Criminal Sexual Conduct in the first-degree requires engaging in sexual battery with someone:
- Using aggravated force, which is the use of physical force or violence, or use of a deadly weapon
- Forcibly confining or kidnapping someone
- During a robbery or burglary
- Using a drug or intoxicating substance to incapacitate another
First-degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony in South Carolina and is punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment.
Additional criminal sexual conduct consequences can include:
- Loss of financial aid and scholarships
- Job loss and the inability to obtain future employment
- Potential disciplinary action before a professional board, when applicable
- Loss of custody and visitation rights
In addition, if you are convicted of a sex crime in South Carolina, you must become part of the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry. Your information, along with others on the list, can be viewed by the public during a geographical search of up to three miles, or by entering a zip code.
The stigma associated with being a registered sex offender can tarnish your social, professional, and public life going forward, which is why we impress upon our clients that being arrested for criminal sexual conduct does not mean that you are guilty or that you do not have a defense.
Our skilled sex crimes lawyers in Fort Mill & Greenville, South Carolina will review your case and leave no detail to chance while representing your best interests inside and outside the courtroom.
A Strategic Sex Crimes Defense in Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville, SC Requires Experienced Lawyers
Besides lengthy prison sentences, sex crime convictions may come with long-term probation periods and a criminal record that can lead to endless difficulties when trying to put your life back together.
At the David W. Martin Law Group, we proactively outline your defense to help ensure your rights are protected while we pursue the best outcome available for your alleged sex crimes offense.
No two criminal cases are the same, and your defense strategy should not be either. Your sex crimes defense will be unique to your charges, criminal history, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged acts.
I Know I Am Innocent. Do I Still Need An Attorney in Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville, SC?
Yes. Innocent people still need an experienced sex crimes lawyers in South Carolina.
False allegations can be leveled against someone who knows he or she did not commit the act they are accused of. Unfortunately, these harmful allegations require the defendant to prove their innocence, instead of the burden of proof lies with the solicitor’s office.
Once a sex crime allegation is made, it cannot be taken back. Today, men and women across the country are losing their jobs, their families, and their quality of life based on an allegation — not a conviction.
This is why you need a Greenville crime lawyer. We are advocates for our clients and aggressively support their right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
That means your life can stay the course while we develop a compelling criminal defense strategy to pursue the best outcome available for your unique case.
Our Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville Criminal Defense Attorneys Fight For Clients Who Have Been Charged With:
- Assault and Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Shoplifting
- DUI
- DUAC
- Traffic Violations
- Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
- Drug Crimes
- Gun Crimes
- Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor
- Murder or Attempted Murder
Call Our Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville, South Carolina Sex Crimes Lawyers For a consultation.
If you have been accused of committing a sex crime in South Carolina, whether you are being investigated or have been arrested or charged, your complete livelihood and physical freedom may be in jeopardy without the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney in Fort Mill & Greenville, South Carolina.
That is why our Fort Mill, Rock Hill & Greenville criminal law firm office provides consultations by calling (803) 548-2468 today, so you can fully understand the allegations against you, and we can quickly begin outlining your defense to pursue the best outcome for your unique case.
