Sex Crimes Lawyer
If you've been accused of rape or sexual assault, you need a skilled criminal defense attorney to represent you and ensure your side is heard. Work with attorneys who will focus on the letter of the law and not pass judgement. Contact St. Louis Huffman Law if you need a sex crimes attorney in Tucson, AZ.
Our Defense Lawyers
Can Challenge Forensic Evidence
Law enforcement agencies often rely on forensic evidence to solve crimes. Prosecutions in sexual abuse and sex offense cases are often based on the examination of physical evidence such as semen, hair, clothing fibers, fingerprints, and bite marks.
The Tucson sex crime attorneys at St. Louis Huffman Law know that there are often serious questions about the reliability of forensic lab test results. We understand the limitations of forensic science and excel at exposing issues. Our attorneys also partner with top forensic science experts to challenge and refute evidence in your case.
Our criminal defense lawyers are nationally recognized for challenging scientific testing. Because of this recognition, the team at St. Louis Huffman Law are sought-after lecturers on this complex area of law.
Types of Sex Crime Cases Our Tucson Law Firm Can Handle
- Child Pornography
- Failing to Register as a Sex Offender
- Indecent Exposure
- Molestation of a Child
- Prostitution
- Public Sexual Indecency
- Rape
- Sexual Abuse
- Sexual Assault
- Sexual Conduct with a Minor
- Trafficking
Facing a Sex Crime Conviction? Contact Our Sex Crime Lawyers in Tucson, AZ
At St. Louis Huffman Law, we understand the gravity of a sex crimes charge. Whether you're facing false accusations or there's more to the story, we will fight for your innocence.
Our criminal defense attorneys will use their understanding of forensic and computer science to dispute evidence and get your charges dropped or reduced. We've helped many clients throughout Arizona. No matter the allegations, we can help you, too.
Get a free consultation with skilled defense lawyers. Send a message to our Tucson law office or give us a call today.
A Client Shares His Experience
"Joe St. Louis represented me in a serious matter and obtained the best outcome possible in a very bad situation. Joe was referred to me by a top Phoenix firm, and the referral proved well-founded…
Richard
"At critical points in the case, when I was under extreme emotional stress, I would be reassured by Joe in a phone call or in-person in court. He transferred his confidence and broader perspective to me and redirected my thinking in a more productive direction.
"Joe's in-depth knowledge of the law and years of experience aside, what most impressed me was Joe's humanity and depth of interpersonal rapport as he addressed the court on my behalf as to my intense remorse and contrition for my actions. He demonstrated an understanding of how personal issues of long-standing impacted my thinking and behavior."
Penalties for Sex Crimes in Arizona
Penalties for sex crimes in Arizona vary based on the nature of the offense and whether it is classified as a Class 1-3 Misdemeanor or Class 1-6 Felony.
The age of the individual involved can also affect the nature of the charge. In addition to sexual contact with a minor (someone who is under the age of 18), harsher penalties are levied if the victim was under the age of 15 at the time of the incident.
During your consultation, we can review the jail time, fines, and other penalties that apply to the charges against you.
Additional Consequences After a Conviction
Putting aside the harsh requirements of sex offender probation, having any type of a felony conviction can have serious consequences on your life. It can:
- Affect your rights to your children
- Limit the jobs you can hold
- Limit your rights to own or possess a firearm
- Limit where you can live
- Affect your relationships
Sex Crime Cases
in the Age of Social Media and Dating Apps
Smartphones, dating apps, and social media have changed how we interact. Communication is instantaneous and often anonymous, which can lead to allegations of sex crimes and sex offenses in certain situations. This is particularly true when it comes to explicit messages, sexting, or agreements to meet in person.
If an adult interacts with a minor and shares explicit images or messages of a sexual nature, the adult could be charged with statutory rape, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, or other felonies. If both parties are adults who engage in sexual activity but consent is not explicitly stated, one of the parties may be charged with sexual assault.
Even with chat logs, text messages, and other evidence, the state of Arizona must still prove their case against you beyond a reasonable doubt. Our Tucson criminal defense attorneys can dispute the sex crimes charges, backing up our claims with evidence.
Arizona Sex Offender Registry
The Arizona Department of Public Safety maintains an online database of sex offenders that discloses vital information, such as the offender's name, location, photograph, and a list of the crimes the person was convicted of committing.
All convicted sex offenders must register with the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s online database, and may be sentenced to lifetime sex offender probation. This type of probation requires sex offender counseling, polygraph examinations, and other stipulations.
Registering as a sex offender severely restricts where you can live and work, the type of volunteer activities you can participate in, and may affect your ability to see your children and other family members under the age of 18.
You May Have to Register as a Sex Offender in Arizona Even If You Didn't Commit a Sex Crime
There are additional circumstances in which a judge can require a person convicted of a crime to register as a sex offender, for life. The state, under A.R.S. §13-118, can allege that a crime was sexually motivated, and a jury can make that finding. A judge can also determine that any crime listed in the sex crimes or sexual exploitation of children sections of the criminal code was sexually motivated.
In either of these circumstances, a judge can require the person convicted to register as a sex offender, even though the offense that the person was convicted of committing was not a sex crime per se.
What Happens When You Register as a Sex Offender
Once you have been ordered to register as a sex offender, a risk assessment that determines the level of risk you present to the community will be performed at the direction of the agency supervising your release.
Informing Your Local Community
If you are assessed to be a level two or three offender, your information must be provided in a non-electronic format to the surrounding neighborhood, nearby schools, and any appropriate community groups and prospective employers.
A press release containing this information must be provided to local electronic and print media. If you go to school or attend college, the administration at your school will also be notified.
The information will be included on an Arizona Department of Public Safety sex offender website. You will be required to either have a driver’s license or a non-driving license, and that will only be good for one year at a time.
Informing Authorities Before Moving
If you move within the same Arizona county or change your name, you must notify the sheriff in the county both in person and in writing. These notifications must be done within 72 hours of moving or legally changing your name.
If you move to a different county in Arizona, you must notify both the sheriff in the county you moved from and the one in the county you have moved to, in person and in writing, within 72 hours of the move.
In both cases you must also update your information on the Arizona Department of Public Safety website.
Legal Penalties for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender
Failing to register as a sex offender is a Class 4 felony. If you are required to register as a sex offender because the offense you were convicted of committing was a felony, you will face 2.25 to 7.5 years in prison.
Failing to update your information on the DPS website is a Class 6 felony. If the offense you were convicted of committing that required you to register was a felony, you will face .75 to 2.75 years in prison.
Our Tucson Defense Attorneys Are on Your Side Hear the Experience of Another Former Client
"I was a client of Joe St. Louis' over several years and cannot speak highly enough of him. From the first phone call to the last meeting with Joe, he presented the current status and options very clearly and professionally. The case was resolved with a very favorable outcome, much more so than I had imagined in the first months.
Anonymous former client
“If you find yourself in need of a lawyer, hire the best one that you can which for me meant Joe. After that, do as Joe suggested to me: 'Continue to live your life, we'll take care of the case from here.'”
