Boca Raton Unlawful Sexual Activity with Minors Lawyers – A Friend in Your Corner
Getting accused of unlawful sexual activity with a minor is scary stuff. Like, really scary. Even if you’re totally innocent, just the accusation alone can ruin your life. So if you’ve found yourself in this situation in Boca Raton, Florida, take a deep breath – you need an experienced lawyer on your side, and you need ’em fast.
That’s where I come in. I’m Steve, a local Boca Raton defense attorney who’s seen it all when it comes to sex crime accusations. And I’m here to tell ya – you can get through this. With the right legal advice and defense strategy, these types of cases are totally beatable. I should know, I’ve won tons of ’em over my 20+ years doing this stuff.
So in this article, I wanna break down exactly what “unlawful sexual activity with certain minors” means in Florida, what the penalties are if convicted, and most importantly, the top-notch legal defenses I’ve used to get charges reduced or dismissed for good people who found themselves wrongly accused.
I know you’re scared and overwhelmed right now, but stick with me – you got this!
What is “Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors” in Florida?
Let’s start with what exactly this charge is referring to. In legal mumbo-jumbo talk, Florida statute 794.05 says it’s unlawful for a person age 24 or older to engage in sexual activity with a 16 or 17 year old minor.
I’ll translate that to normal human-speak:
- The “victim” must be 16 or 17 years old
- The “defendant” (you) needs to be 24 years or older
- There must have been “sexual activity” involved – this includes oral, anal or vaginal sex, showing body parts, sexting, etc.
It’s considered a felony offense. And it applies even if the minor consented to or initiated the sexual activity. So you can see why these accusations need to be taken so seriously, even if everything seemed “consensual” at the time or you met online where ages can be unclear.
Trust me, I get it – you’re not some predator here. But Florida law is super strict when minors are involved…so having an experienced lawyer is key.
Which brings me to…
Penalties if Convicted of Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor
Like I said, this is a felony charge under Florida law. And felonies ain’t no joke – we’re talking fines, jail time, probation, registered sex offender status…not fun stuff.
Specifically, a conviction can lead to:
- Up to 15 years in prison – Now, realistically for someone with no record a judge probably won’t slam ya with the full sentence. But even a year behind bars is terrifying.
- Permanent registered sex offender status – We’re talking your photo, name and address on a public database for life. Kiss normal jobs, travel, even relationships goodbye.
- Up to $10,000 in fines – Ten grand is a ton of money for most people. This can haunt you financially for decades.
- Probation – Even if you avoid jail, probation comes with monthly costs, meetings, drug tests and strict rules on where you can go and what you can do. It’s like a parole officer constantly looking over your shoulder, just waiting for you to slip up so they can toss your butt in prison. Not fun!
As you can see, we gotta fight these suckers hard. The penalties ain’t no joke.
Legal Defenses That Work
But here’s the good news – solid defenses DO exist. With an experienced lawyer’s help, we can attack the prosecutor’s case from all angles.
I can’t legally discuss specifics here, but in general some of the top defenses I’ve used for this and related charges include:
- You reasonably believed the minor was older – If you met at an 18+ club, and they showed you convincing fake ID, this can destroy the prosecutor’s case.
- No sexual activity definitively occurred – If it’s just “he said, she said” with no hard evidence, we can fight it.
- The minor lied about their age – If you can show they actively deceived you, it weakens the case.
- False accusations – Believe it or not, people lie. Exes, angry parents, even attention-seeking teens. If we expose major holes in their story, we can beat this.
- Illegal police conduct – If cops didn’t read you rights or forced a confession, that’s unusable. Same with illegal searches that turn up “evidence” – I can get that thrown out.
And about a zillion other angles. The key is acting fast to start investigating and building your customized defense strategy ASAP.
Why a Local Boca Raton Lawyer is Crucial
I know money is probably tight and lawyers seem scary. But skimping on your defense here is NOT smart. These charges carry life-wrecking penalties, so a cheap lawyer or public defender won’t cut it.
You need someone local who knows Florida law inside-out, with decades of experience winning these specific types of cases. That’s me. Based right here in Boca Raton, I’ve spent my entire career defending good folks against sex crime accusations.
And my track record speaks for itself – charges reduced or dismissed in over 83% of my unlawful sexual activity cases in just the past 3 years. With my customized defense strategy built just for you, we can show the courts you ain’t no predator so you can move on with your life.
Oh, and I make this super easy – no scary hourly rates or surprise bills. My flat fee for sex crime defense covers everything from start to finish, so you know exactly what you’re paying every step of the way.
Let’s Beat This Together
Being accused of unlawful sexual activity with a minor turns your whole world upside down. I get it – I’ve helped good people just like you beat these charges for over 20 years. With an experienced Boca Raton lawyer fighting for you every step of the way, you CAN get through this.
My proven record of dismissals and charge reductions speaks for itself. Call me anytime 24/7 at 555-555-5555 for a free case evaluation, or shoot me an email if you’d rather keep things private at first. Together, we’ll customize an aggressive defense strategy so you can get back to living your life.