Charged with Sex Crimes in Arizona? Call Us Now!
If you’re arrested for a sex crime in Arizona, you will often be treated as though you’ve already been convicted. With people being quick to judge, often believing the accuser without any evidence, even a simple sex crime allegation can ruin your life. Without the assistance of an experienced Phoenix sex crime lawyer, you will likely end up being forced to take an unfavorable plea deal and have to register as an Arizona sex offender for the rest of your life. We understand your case and what you must be going through at this stage of your life. We are here and our Arizona criminal attorneys can help you get through this.
Howard Snader is a Phoenix sex crimes attorney and board-certified criminal law specialist with three decades of experience fighting for the wrongly accused. He is widely regarded as the top sex crime attorney in Phoenix, AZ. If you value your freedom, Howard may be your best chance to clear your name. Call us now at (602) 825-3031 to fight your sex crime charges in Phoenix, Avondale, and more areas in Arizona!
Why do I need a Phoenix sex crimes attorney?
In Phoenix, sex crimes are widely considered to be particularly heinous. But when it comes to Arizona sex crimes, the accused is often the real victim. Sex crime allegations are often the result of false statements by the accuser or an unfortunate misunderstanding. Since the mere mention of a sex crime in Arizona evokes a negative emotional response, simply being accused of committing one is often enough to cause friends and family alike to turn their backs on you.
But an accusation is not the equivalent of a conviction—far from it. You have the right to be considered innocent in the eyes of the law unless you’re proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. That’s why you need an experienced Phoenix sex crimes lawyer to help you fight sex crime allegations in Arizona. If you need someone by your side to defend your freedom, call our Snader Law Group today to get in touch with a trusted sex offense defense attorney in Phoenix, AZ and nearby areas!
How can a sex crime defense lawyer help me?
Looking for a sex crime lawyer near me? Hiring a seasoned Phoenix sex crime lawyer can help you protect your freedom and avoid the worst outcome in your Arizona sex charge.
Avoid the Stigma of a Sex Crime Conviction
Regardless of your legal right to be presumed innocent, when the crime you’re accused of is sexually based in Phoenix, you may feel as if you’ve been tried and convicted in the court of public opinion without the benefit of a trial. Being accused of a sex crime may feel like your worst nightmare, but being convicted of one is worse. If you are convicted as a sex offender, you will be required to register wherever you live. Your name, photo, address, and description of your charges will be public information, readily available for the world to view on the Internet and various other places in Arizona. As an Arizona registered sex offender, you may be kept from living in certain areas and prohibited from certain types of employment, and you will carry the stigma of a sex crime conviction with you for the rest of your life.
Fight Against False Allegations of Sex Offenses
In some cases, the allegations are entirely false. Phoenix sex crimes usually take place behind closed doors, with no witnesses present. An arrest may be made simply on the basis of an uncorroborated accusation, which could have an ulterior motive, such as revenge for infidelity or some other offense in a relationship, or the desire of one divorcing parent to gain sole custody of a child by discrediting the other with an accusation of a sex crime in Arizona.
Because of the far-reaching negative consequences of a Phoenix sex crime conviction, you need to bring a legal specialist on board at the first indication that you might be accused. Sometimes people delay in hiring a Phoenix sex crime lawyer because they are embarrassed to talk to an attorney because of the nature of the charges. But it is important to have a good Phoenix sex crime defense attorney by your side whenever you are being questioned. It can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.
How a Phoenix Sex Crimes Attorney Can Assist You in Developing an Assertive Defense
Accused of a sex crime? In the video, Howard Snader, a criminal defense lawyer in Phoenix, described the challenges of being accused of a sex crime there and why you should contact a knowledgeable sex crime attorney in Arizona right away to receive reliable legal advice when it comes to preparing an aggressive defense for a sex crime you are charged with.
What kind of crimes can a Phoenix sex crimes lawyer help with?
Not every Phoenix criminal lawyer is a sex offender attorney and not every Arizona criminal lawyer is the best sex crime lawyer. If you need a free criminal lawyer, you can take your chances with a public defender. But if you value your freedom and reputation, you need to find the best defense lawyer you can afford to help you fight sex crime charges. We know that what a sex assault lawyer charges may seem like a lot, but what is your freedom worth?
Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Statutory Rape
This is defined by ARS § 13-1405 as the act of intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse or oral sexual contact with any person who is under eighteen years of age.
Child Molestation
According to ARS § 13-1410, a person commits child molestation if they intentionally or knowingly engage in or cause a person to engage in sexual contact, except sexual contact with the female breast, with a child who is under fifteen years of age.
Child Pornography / Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
Child pornography or sexual exploitation of a minor is the act of intentionally or knowingly engaging in or causing a person to engage in sexual contact, except sexual contact with the female breast, with a child who is under fifteen years of age as per ARS § 13-3553.
Luring a Minor for Sexual Exploitation
Offering or soliciting sexual conduct with another person while knowing or having reason to know that the other person is a minor is illegal under ARS § 13-3554.
Child Prostitution / Child Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking is involved in causing or permitting a minor to engage in prostitution, using a minor for prostitution, or being involved in the prostitution of a child as defined by ARS § 13-3212.
Sexual Assault & Violent Sexual Assault
Sexual assault and violent sexual assault (ARS § 13-1406 and ARS § 13-1423) is defined as knowingly and intentionally engaging in sexual acts with another person without their consent.
Sexual Abuse
Arizona’s sexual abuse law (ARS § 13-1404) defines sexual abuse as the act of knowingly or intentionally engaging in sexual contact with any person who is fifteen or more years of age without the consent of that person or with any person who is under fifteen years of age if the sexual contact involves only the female breast.
Public Sexual Indecency
Public sexual indecency is defined by ARS § 13-1403 as intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or bestiality in the presence of another person, without regard for whether the other person would be offended or alarmed by the act.
Indecent Exposure
According to ARS § 13-402, A person commits indecent exposure if he or she exposes his or her genitals or anus or she exposes the areola or nipple of her breast or breasts and another person is present, and the defendant is reckless about whether the other person, as a reasonable person, would be offended or alarmed by the act.
Prostitution & Solicitation of Prostitution
As outlined by ARS § 13-3214 and Phoenix City Code 23-52, it’s illegal for a person to knowingly engage in prostitution and solicitation of prostitution.
Sexual Misconduct by a Professional
Sexual Misconduct by a professional is defined by ARS § 13-1418 as the act of knowingly and intentionally engaging in sexual intercourse with a client who is currently under their care. This applies to behavioral health professionals, psychiatrists, and psychologists.
Surreptitious Recording
According to ARS § 13-3019, it’s unlawful for any person to knowingly photograph, videotape, film, digitally record, or by any other means secretly view, with or without a device, another person without that person’s consent.
Voyeurism
Voyeurism is defined by ARS § 13-1424 as invading another person’s privacy without the knowledge of the other person for the purpose of sexual stimulation.
What are the penalties for sex offenses in Arizona?
If you’re convicted for a sex crime in Arizona, you can face harsh penalties, including:
- Up to fourteen (14) years in prison for rape.
- Up to twenty-seven (27) years for sex offenses involving children.
- Mandatory sex offender registration
The penalty a defendant may face for alleged unlawful sexual contact always includes sex offender registration even if you only get probation. You do not need to be charged with engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor to face the harshest penalties either. This is why you must hire a sex crime attorney as soon as possible to help formulate a defense strategy to preserve your freedom.
Sex crime charges carry serious consequences in Arizona. Our Phoenix sex crime lawyer understands the charges against you and can help prove your innocence when false allegations are made against you. A delay in hiring an experienced state and federal sex crime law firm can be devastating to your case. Contact Howard Snader now to protect and preserve your rights, your reputation, and your freedom.
Evidence Prosecutors Use In Sex Crime Cases
A prosecutor’s primary role in a sex crime case is to present compelling evidence against the defendant. Understanding what they’re looking for and using against you can help when it’s time to build your defense. They utilize a variety of different tools and forms of evidence to accomplish this goal, including:
Physical Evidence
This can include any form of tangible material such as photographs or clothing that are relevant to the alleged offense. Additionally, they will look for evidence of bodily fluids, like blood or semen.
Witness Testimony
The prosecutor might rely on statements from anyone who witnessed the alleged incident or the time leading up to it or after it. These can be bystanders or individuals who became involved after the fact, such as a teacher or counselor whom a victim confided in.
Victim Statements
These play a central role in sex crime cases as charges are frequently based on one person’s word against another’s. The testimony of victims is taken seriously by courts when prosecuting these types of offenses.
Digital Evidence
In today’s digital age, text messages, social media posts, and other online communications often serve as key pieces of evidence during trials for sex crimes. They may contain incriminating information that supports claims made by victims about their interactions with the defendant.
On the flip side, a defendant may be able to defend themselves by presenting certain digital evidence showing that they did not commit the crime they’re accused of.
Forensic Evidence
In sex crime cases, this can include DNA samples and fingerprints, which prosecutors use to try to create a concrete link between the defendant and the victim. This can include rape kits as well.
Expert Witnesses
Prosecutors often call upon expert witnesses for their specialized knowledge or experience related to the case. This could be a doctor who is an expert in recognizing physical signs of sexual assault, psychologists who are familiar with typical behaviors exhibited by victims post-assault, or specialists that decipher and explain DNA and fingerprint information.
Understanding what type of evidence a prosecutor might use against you can help you anticipate their actions and allow you to obtain your own evidence to counter their accusations.
What are the possible defenses to a sex crime accusation?
These are some of the defenses that Phoenix sex crime lawyer might be able to raise on your behalf:
Alibi
If you were elsewhere at the time when the supposed crime happened, evidence proving this fact – like video footage or witness testimonies – can support your innocence.
Mistaken Identity
Occasions where the victim or a witness wrongly identifies an innocent person unfortunately occur. If this is the case, your attorney can help you establish this. For example, they can prevent evidence that there is nothing linking you to the alleged victim or the crime scene.
False Accusations
If it can be proven that allegations against you were fabricated – for example, due to revenge or misunderstanding – this could serve as your defense.
Insufficient Evidence
Every charge requires sufficient proof; if law enforcement cannot provide enough evidence linking you directly to a crime scene, prosecutors will have difficulty proving you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Consent
For some types of sex-crime allegations, like rape charges, consent can play an important role as a viable defense.
Get in Touch with Our Phoenix Sex Crime Lawyer!
If you’ve been accused of a sex crime in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or anywhere in Maricopa County and beyond, or believe you are about to be, you can find the best criminal lawyer and specialized legal representation by calling the law offices of Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist Howard A. Snader.
Howard understands that just because you are being accused does not mean you are necessarily guilty. Regardless of the nature of the crime, you are accused of, you have the right to the presumption of innocence and to be represented by the Phoenix sex crime lawyer you can find. He will investigate the allegations, examine police procedures, interview witnesses, and look for possible motivations for your accuser to have lied, and identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case.
Sex Crime Experience Matters
Maricopa County’s nationally acclaimed Sex Crimes Bureau consists of a team of specially trained prosecutors who vigorously pursue convictions in sex crime cases, including sexual abuse of children and adults, sex trafficking, child pornography, child prostitution, and internet sex crimes.
As a former prosecutor, Howard has the experience and knowledge of the criminal justice system to know what works, and he will use every means at his disposal to spare you from the worst consequences of a sex crime conviction. He can sometimes even prevent charges from being filed if you bring him on board very early on. If charges have already been filed, he is often able to have them dismissed or reduced.
If you are prepared to go to trial to prove your innocence, Howard is a superb trial lawyer who is at his best in the courtroom, where he has won numerous acquittals for his clients in jury trials. He has an outstanding record of obtaining the best available outcomes for thousands of clients accused of various types of crimes, including sex crimes, and has earned the highest possible AVVO rating—10 (Superb). Howard is a felony lawyer and misdemeanor lawyer, so he is the right criminal offense lawyer to help you avoid prison no matter what you have been charged with.