Orlando Misdemeanor Sex Crime Attorneys

Whether a charge is for indecent exposure, possession of child pornography, solicitation of prostitution, or sexual assault, the penalties for committing a sex crime in Orlando can be severe, making it especially important for those who have been accused of these types of offenses to have a thorough understanding of the elements of these crimes.

Child Pornography Law in Orlando

There are several different offenses all contained in the child pornography category. These crimes include:

Possession
Distribution
Manufacturing
Transmission
Production
Sexual Performance by a Child

Each one of the aforementioned offenses varies in severity and punishment. However, in Florida, each image and separate child involved in any child pornography case is treated as a separate, chargeable offense.

Solicitation Crimes in Orlando

Solicitation crimes in Orlando are serious offenses. From prostitution to human trafficking, these offenses come with varying degrees of punishment. The most common forms of solicitation crime in Orlando are:

Prostitution
Lewdness, which includes any indecent or obscene act
Assignation, which occurs when someone makes an appointment with another person to engage in sex for hire.

Orlando Internet Sting Operations and Computer Sex Crimes

In Orlando, Florida, there is a large number of computer sex crimes that are committed every single day. Some of the more common forms of computer sex crimes include:

Computer pornography
Soliciting minors
Transmitting prohibited material to people underage

To help eliminate some of this problem, the Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act was passed by Florida Legislature in addition to a series of other laws aimed at protecting people from online predators. In addition to legislative changes, Florida law enforcement agencies often put internet sting operations into effect.

Child Molestation Lawyers in Orlando

In Orlando, child molestation is a very serious crime. In the state of Florida, according to chapter 800 of the Florida State Statute, child molestation falls under the crime of lewd or lascivious molestation. Lewd and/or lascivious molestation is defined as synonyms that mean an intent that is:

Sensual
Unchaste
Lustful
Wicked
Licentious

Sexual Battery and Sexual Assault Attorneys in Orlando

Sexual Assault Law in Orlando can be defined according to Florida Statute Chapter 775. It is also referred to as Sexual Battery. Sexual battery (and consequently sexual assault) is defined as the oral, vaginal, or anal penetration by the sexual organ of another or by any object. The severity of a sexual battery charge depends on a number of factors, including the ages of the victim and the accused. For example, a defendant who is over the age of 18 years old and is accused of committing a sexual battery against a child under the age of 12 years old can be charged with a capital felony, which is punishable by life in prison, while defendants who are over 18 years old, but whose victim was over the age of 12 years old will be charged with a first degree felony. During sentencing, judges will also take the following factors into consideration:

Whether the victim was physically incapacitated
Whether the offender coerced the victim by threat or force
Whether the defendant administered a drug to the victim
Whether the victim had a mental defect
Whether the defendant was an elected official or a law enforcement officer

Orlando Lewd and Lascivious Crimes

Lewd and Lascivious crimes in Orlando vary greatly. They are defined by Florida statute chapter 800 and are usually broken down into the following subcategories:

Battery
Molestation
Conduct
Exhibition

Voyeurism Law in Orlando

Under Fla. Stat. 810.145, video voyeurism is strictly prohibited. This offense involves:

Intentionally using a camera or other recording device to secretly view a person, without his or her consent
Viewing a victim while he or she was undressing or privately exposing the body
Viewing a victim for entertainment, arousal, or profit

The severity of the penalties faced by a defendant who is convicted of video voyeurism depends on the age of the offender. Someone who is under the age of 19 years old, for example, will be charged with a first degree misdemeanor, while those who are over this age can be charged with a third degree felony. However, the penalties can be enhanced if a defendant recorded someone under the age of 16 years old, or committed the offense against a student at a school. Although defenses are available to those who have been accused of these offenses, defendants are not permitted to argue that they did not know the age of the victim.

Indecent Exposure in Orlando

While most people associate sex crimes with offenses like assault or rape, there are a number of less serious offenses that also qualify as sex crimes. Indecent exposure, for example, is a misdemeanor sex crime that involves publicly displaying one’s sexual organs. Like other sex offenses, there are a number of things that prosecutors must demonstrate, including that the defendant showed his or her sexual organs and:

Was either in a public place or one another person’s private property
Intended to and did expose him or herself in an offensive manner

Of these elements, intent is key. This is because if a prosecutor cannot prove that a person actually meant to show his or her sexual organs in a lewd manner, that individual cannot be convicted. To qualify as lewd, an act must be sensual and must offend someone else who witnessed it. For example, a person who accidentally exposes him or herself in public will not have the intent required to obtain a conviction. Furthermore, even if the element of intent is satisfied, a person cannot be convicted unless he or she was in public or on another person’s private property Finally, if a person is not in public, prosecutors will need to find a witness who was offended by the act before a person can be charged.

Defendants who are convicted of this offense face up to a year in prison, although if a prosecutor alleges aggravating circumstances, the crime could be charged as a felony.