Have you found yourself in some legal trouble and you are now facing charges? But you still do not have an understanding of what the charges are? And are now searching What is Statutory Rape? Brought to you by Starr Law Firm, we are going to spotlight what statutory rape is and why you need a team on your side to help.
Statutory rape is any sexual contact with an individual who is below the legal age of consent. This law usually refers to adults engaging the sexual activities with minors. In the state of Texas, a minor is anyone under the age of 17. Generally, it does not matter whether you believed the person was 17 or older; a mistake about age is not, by itself, a defense. Texas does recognize one limited exception, sometimes called the Romeo and Juliet defense: it can apply when the accused was no more than three years older than the other person, the other person was at least 14, the accused was not required to register for life as a sex offender, and the accused had no prior reportable conviction for a child sex offense.
Consequences of Statutory Rape
Statutory rape is seen as a very serious crime and has very serious consequences. The conviction results in significant jail time and a person can face up to 20 years in prison. Along with a fine of up to $10,000. And you will have to register on the national sex offender registry for life. Registering on this list comes with many consequences also such as, limits where you can live, who you can live with, and future jobs. Being convicted is very serious and is something no one wants to face.
So, if you are facing these charges you will need a team on your side that has the experience and knowledge to help you. These charges can upend your entire life, so call Kent Starr today. He has years of experience defending sex-crime charges in cases like yours. And will defend your rights till the very end. All you have to do is give us a call and we will handle the rest.