Unlawful Sodomy Defense Attorney in Los Angeles, CA, Defends Clients Charged With Sex Crimes in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, and Throughout Southern California
Under certain situations, typically involving victims who did not or legally cannot give consent, sodomy is a prohibited act punishable by jail time in California. If you have been charged with a criminal act of sodomy, you need an attorney to help you navigate the legal process and present the most compelling defense possible.
The Law Offices of Christopher Chaney are here to help, so contact us today. The consultation is free and completely confidential.
Sodomy Charges in Los Angeles, CA
Under California law, sodomy refers to a sexual act that encompasses any penetration, no matter how slight, of one person’s anus by another person’s penis.
When Is Sodomy a Crime in L.A.?
Sodomy is not a crime in California when the conduct occurs between two consenting adults. However, this act is criminalized when one party does not consent or is not legally able to consent to it.
That’s why people charged with sodomy in Los Angeles should consult a criminal defense attorney with experience representing clients accused of sex crimes of all kinds. The consequences you’re facing are serious, but your attorney can identify any evidence in your favor and use those facts to develop the most robust defense strategy possible.
Areas Served by Our Los Angeles Sodomy Lawyer
Where do you turn when you need a sodomy defense lawyer in Los Angeles? The Law Offices of Christopher Chaney represent clients in every neighborhood of L.A., throughout Los Angeles County, and all over Southern California.
From our office locations in Century City and Van Nuys, we carry out investigations on behalf of our clients charged with criminal offenses and develop personalized defense strategies for each individual client. The communities of L.A. we serve include:
- Antelope Valley
- San Fernando Valley
- San Gabriel Valley
- Gateway Cities
- South Bay
- Westside
No matter where in L.A. you’re facing criminal charges for sex crimes, consulting a Los Angeles sodomy lawyer is as easy as making a simple phone call or filling out an online contact form.
What Constitutes the Crime of Sodomy Under CA Law?
The conditions under which sodomy counts as a crime include the following.
The Use of Violence, Force, or Fear
First of all, it is always illegal to commit sodomy by means of using violence, force, fear, menace, or any type of duress. This includes acts like the following:
- Physically restraining a victim
- Causing the victim bodily injury
- Threatening immediate physical harm to the victim
- Threatening to retaliate against a victim who resists by hurting the victim or someone else
- Threatening to arrest or deport the victim if they resist
The penalty for using force, fear, or violence of any kind to commit sodomy is jail time of three, six, or eight years when the victim is an adult.
If the alleged victim of sodomy performed through force, fear, or violence was a minor over age 14, the defendant may be sentenced to a prison term of seven, nine, or 11 years. In instances involving minor victims under age 14, the penalty under California law is a prison term of nine, 11, or 13 years.
Sodomy on a Minor
One reason a person may be legally unable to give consent to sodomy or other sexual acts is their age. In California, the age of consent is 18 years old. It’s illegal to engage in sodomy, as in other sexual conduct, with someone under the age of 18, even if they are agreeable to the conduct.
Committing sodomy with a minor under age 14, if the defendant is more than 10 years older, is a crime punishable by jail time of three, six, or eight years. If the alleged victim is under 16 years old and the defendant is more than 21 years old, the crime is considered a felony.
Sodomy charges may land a defendant who commits this act with a minor who is under 18 in prison for up to one year.
Sodomy With a Victim Who Can’t Consent
Minors aren’t the only people who can’t legally consent to sodomy or other sexual activities in California. In some cases, a person may be unable to legally consent in any circumstances due to a developmental disability, a mental disorder, or a physical disability. An act of sodomy in which such a person is the victim is punishable by a prison term of three, six, or eight years.
In other cases, a person who is otherwise mentally capable of giving consent cannot legally do so because of one of the following:
- The victim was asleep or unconscious.
- The victim was intoxicated or drugged such that they could not resist the defendant’s conduct.
- The victim was deceived into believing the perpetrator was someone else.
- The victim was incarcerated.
The lack of consent is what makes a sodomy crime such a serious offense. If you have been charged with sodomy in L.A., you are facing formal criminal proceedings and potential jail time. An unlawful sodomy defense attorney in Los Angeles, CA, can protect your legal rights throughout this process.
Contact a Los Angeles Sodomy Lawyer at the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney Today for a Confidential Consultation at No Cost
Criminal charges of sodomy carry significant penalties. To seek a more favorable resolution to the case, you will need skilled legal representation.
For help from a sodomy charges defense attorney in Los Angeles, CA, contact the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney online or call (310) 209-3999 today.
