Child Molestation Charges Defense Attorney in Los Angeles, CA, Represents Clients Charged with Sex Crimes in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, and Throughout Southern California
Sex crimes and misconduct that involve children are among the most serious charges on the books in the State of California. If you have been charged with child molestation, lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, or another sexual offense involving a juvenile victim, you need an attorney fighting for you as soon as possible.
At the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney, a Los Angeles child molestation lawyer is ready to defend you against serious criminal charges of all kinds, including sex crimes. Contact us for a confidential consultation with our experienced criminal defense attorney.
Child Molestation Charges in Los Angeles, CA
If you’re charged with lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor, you need to understand how California law handles this serious sex crime.
What Is the Definition of Molestation in California?
Child molestation is a crime under Section 288 of the California Penal Code. The common term “molestation” doesn’t actually appear in the statute, which instead refers to “lewd and lascivious acts” conducted with a child. The law criminalizes this act both when the victim is under the age of 14 and when the victim is 14 to 15 years old, but it establishes separate sentences based on the victim’s age.
Under California law, molestation may include touching any part of the body of the child “with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires.”
Examples of what constitutes child molestation in California may include:
- Touching the child in sexually inappropriate ways
- Forcing or urging the child to touch the offender in sexually inappropriate ways, including physically placing the child’s hand on the offender’s body
- Touching of genitals, breasts, and other private or intimate parts in this context
- Inappropriate sexual touching of any other body part in this context
- Sexually inappropriate touching that involves direct skin contact
- Inappropriate touching through clothing
Molestation of a child may or may not involve the use of violence, force, fear, threats, or duress. Regardless of whether force or threats were allegedly used, the State of California treats child molestation of victims under 14 years of age as a felony for which you could face several years in prison if convicted.
Areas Our Los Angeles Child Molestation Lawyer Serves
The harsh penalties for alleged child molestation make it all the more important that you have a child molestation charges defense attorney in Los Angeles, CA, advocating for you and protecting your rights. At the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney, we represent people facing serious charges all over L.A. County and beyond, including in the following areas:
- Lancaster, Palmdale, and all of Antelope Valley
- Compton, Downey, Long Beach, Norwalk, South Gate, Whittier, and all of Gateway Cities
- Burbank, Encino, Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, and all of San Fernando Valley
- El Montes, Pasadena, Pomona, Rosemead, West Covina, and all of San Gabriel Valley
- Carson, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Redondo Beach, Torrance, and all of South Bay
- Beverly Hills, Century City, Malibu, Santa Monica, and all of Westside
With office locations in Century City and Van Nuys, we have a strong presence in Southern California and defend clients across the region from charges of child sexual abuse, molestation, and other sex crimes.
How Long Do You Go to Jail for Child Molestation in California?
Child molestation laws in California establish jail time and other penalties for lewd and lascivious acts. Numerous factors affect sentencing for those convicted of child molestation, including:
- The age of the child
- Whether the offender held a caretaker role in relation to the child
- Whether force or threats were used in the crime
- Whether the victim suffered bodily harm at the hands of the defendant
If a defendant is convicted of molestation of a child younger than 14 years old, the minimum sentence under California law is three years in state prison. However, sentences of six or even eight years may be imposed in this circumstance.
The use of force or fear to commit child molestation, especially if the defendant was in a caretaker role, increases potential sentences to five, eight, or 10 years in state prison.
The penalties are less severe in molestation crimes involving victims ages 14 and 15. If the offender is 10 or more years older than the victim, they may be sentenced to one, two, or three years of imprisonment in a state prison or up to one year of jail time in a county jail.
Regardless of the victim’s age, if they suffered significant physical injury due to the force used to commit the molestation, the penalties for the offender are much more severe. In this case, the defendant could be facing life in state prison (with the possibility of parole).
Why You Need a Los Angeles Child Molestation Lawyer
The charges against you are threatening your future. The consequences of being convicted of child molestation in California include years of jail time, potential fines, and a lifelong criminal record.
A knowledgeable child molestation defense attorney can identify the evidence that can work in your favor and use it to build as strong a legal defense strategy as possible for your situation. Throughout the legal proceedings, you will need someone to stand up for your rights and make sure that due process is followed. That someone is your attorney, who represents you throughout the criminal justice process and advocates for your interests at every phase.
Contact a Los Angeles Child Molestation Lawyer at the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney for a Confidential Consultation
Hiring an experienced criminal defense lawyer offers you the best chance of mitigating the consequences of these charges on your life. For help from a child molestation charges defense attorney in Los Angeles, CA, contact the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney online or call (310) 209-3999 today.
