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You could face years in prison and pay thousands of dollars in fines. You would also be a registered sex offender, which limits your personal and professional choices.

A Detroit sex crimes lawyer at Davis Law Group PLLC can help you clear your name and remove the stigma of sex crime allegations.

Call us today at (313) 818-3238 or use our online contact form to schedule your free, confidential consultation.

How Can a Detroit Sex Crime Lawyer Help?

Hiring a lawyer is one of the best advantages you give yourself when facing sex crime charges.

An experienced Detroit sex crime lawyer can:

  • Arrange for your release from jail while you await trial
  • Represent you in police interviews to prevent self-incrimination
  • Review the evidence against you for holes and weaknesses
  • Build a defense strategy that suits your unique situation
  • Negotiate with the prosecutor to drop or reduce the charges, offer a plea deal, or push for alternative sentencing

Most people lack the knowledge and experience to represent themselves. Public defenders mean well, but they have many clients and little time or resources to devote to your specific case. The Davis Law Group provides plenty of resources and knowledge to get you the best possible outcome.

Defenses to Sex Crime Charges in Michigan

It is probably your word against the alleged victim. Your actions or statements may be taken out of context and twisted in ways that make you look guilty when the truth may be far more ambiguous. Cases involving sex offenses often have many gray areas, with events interpreted differently.

Your Michigan sex crimes attorney will look in these gray areas for possible defenses to your charge. Suppose we can find even one viable problem in the prosecutor’s case against you. In that case, we can create reasonable doubt — meaning the case against you does not meet the threshold for conviction.

Here are some defenses that criminal attorneys might use in Michigan sex crime cases.

You are innocent

You would not be the first individual to be falsely accused of a sex crime. No matter what the police or your accuser are saying, you are innocent. Your Michigan sex crimes lawyer will gather evidence that proves your innocence.

Your accuser is mistaken or lying

Sometimes, the details of emotionally charged situations can get murky. Perhaps your accuser has mistaken you for someone else. In some sad cases, the accuser might even be lying. Either way, an sex crime attorney can work to show that the accusations against you are false.

Police violated your rights

If the police violated your constitutional rights during your arrest, interrogation, or incarceration, a sex crimes lawyer in Michigan might be able to get your charges dropped.

Improper evidence handling

Evidence is everything in sex crime cases. If investigators mishandled the evidence against you or violated the chain of custody, the charges against you should not stand.

The victim gave consent

You might admit to the allegations against you. But if the alleged victim is an adult who gave consent, it’s likely not a crime. Your Michigan sex charges lawyer can help you show that the accuser did permit the actions in question.

These are only a few of the possible defenses to sex crime charges. Your defense will depend on the unique details of your case. A Detroit sex crimes lawyer helps you understand your options and protects your rights.

Related Practice Areas

How Davis Law Group PLLC in Detroit Helps You

At Davis Law Group PLLC, our defense attorneys are former prosecutors. This unique insight allows us to see both sides of an argument in a Michigan sex crimes case.

We know how prosecutors approach these cases — and how best to defend against the arguments that prosecutors are likely to make against you. We’ll fight for you in court with the goal of not only getting you the best possible outcome for your charge but helping you preserve your family and your future.

About Our Founding Defense Attorney

Detroit sex crime lawyer Maurice Davis attended one of the top-ranked law schools in the U.S. He has dedicated his 20+ year career to helping others. He has even worked as a public defender, and in legal services, a clinic focused on social justice.

Attorney Davis and his team are dedicated to providing top-notch, compassionate criminal defense to clients in Detroit and throughout Michigan.

Penalties for Sex Crimes in Detroit, MI

A sex crime conviction in Michigan affects your life for years to come.

Depending on the nature of your crime and any previous criminal record, you might face:

  • A jail or prison sentence
  • Costly criminal fines or court fees
  • A requirement to register as a sex offender and have your information visible in a public database
  • A permanent criminal record as a sex offender that will be visible on background checks for employment or rental housing
  • Restrictions on where you can live or work
  • You may be unable to obtain a license to practice your profession or lose your existing license to practice law, medicine, teaching, nursing, pharmacy, or another licensed profession
  • You may lose full or partial custody of your children, depending on the circumstances of your offense
  • You may lose your immigration visa or green card, be denied citizenship, or be deported to your native country if you’re a non-U.S. citizen

However, your situation may not be hopeless. A Detroit sex crime lawyer offers you a chance to have your charges reduced or dismissed or suffer fewer consequences.

At Davis Law Group PLLC, we work aggressively on behalf of people charged with Michigan sex crimes. We can start representing you even if you are under investigation but not yet charged with a sex crime.

We protect your rights through the process. We make sure your side of the story is heard by police, prosecutors, and by a jury if necessary.

Types of Sex Offenses We Handle in Detroit

Our Detroit sex crime lawyer at Davis Law Group PLLC has handled various sex offenses charged in local courts. Here are some of the cases that we accept.

1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

First-degree criminal sexual conduct is the most severe type of sex offense in Michigan. More commonly known as rape, this offense can result in a life sentence in prison.

2nd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

Second-degree criminal sexual conduct involves unwanted sexual touching, more commonly known as sexual battery or indecent liberties. It’s a serious felony that can result in years in prison.

3rd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

Third-degree criminal sexual conduct is more commonly known as statutory rape. It involves the sexual penetration of teens or adults with mental or physical disabilities. It’s a serious felony offense in Michigan that can result in years in prison.

4th Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involves unwanted sexual touching of certain types of people. This includes teens or within the contexts of kinds of relationships. This offense is a serious misdemeanor in Michigan punishable by years in prison.

Assault with Intent to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct

Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct is a serious felony offense. It can result in a significant prison sentence when there is an intent to commit rape or when the objective is unwanted sexual touching.

Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

Many sex crimes convictions in Michigan require the individual to register as a sex offender. Failing to register as an offender as required is an additional criminal offense that can result in jail time and fines.

Child Pornography

Producing, financing, distributing, or possessing material that is sexually abusive to children are serious felony child pornography crimes in Michigan. They can result in decades in prison and tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

Prostitution & Solicitation

Prostitution and solicitation are misdemeanor crimes in Michigan that are punishable with jail time and fines.

He represented my son in a way that represented professionalism and gave us a desired outcome. Maurice is someone I would recommend to anyone needing an attorney. He did so much to help us.

Ms. Barrino

Resources

Michigan Sex Crimes FAQ

If you need additional answers after reading these frequently asked questions, please contact our office today.

What Should I do if the Police Contact Me About a Sex Crime Accusation?

No matter how unfounded, such an accusation is likely to destroy your personal and professional reputation forever. You deserve someone on your side to help you clear your name. Call a Michigan sex crimes lawyer right away.

What Happens After a Sex Crime Arrest?

An arrest for a sex crime is followed immediately by booking and jailing. The most critical step is the arraignment, which generally occurs within 48 hours, where you are formally informed of the charges and the judge sets bail, often including strict conditions like a “no contact” order with the alleged victim. Due to the severity of these charges, which often carry life sentences and mandatory Sex Offender Registration (SORA), the bail is frequently set very high, making immediate release difficult. Your attorney must begin a defense investigation immediately to challenge the evidence before the preliminary examination.

Do Sex Crime Charges Require Jail Time?

Whether a sex crime conviction requires jail time depends entirely on the degree of the offense. A  first-degree conviction is the most severe, is not a probational offense for adult offenders, and carries a maximum sentence of life in prison (often with a mandatory minimum of 25 years). For less severe offenses, like a fourth-degree charge, which is a misdemeanor, probation is a legally authorized sentence, meaning it is possible to receive a conviction without serving any time in jail. However, nearly all sex crime convictions require mandatory Sex Offender Registration (SORA), which is a severe, long-term penalty.

What Evidence is Used in Sex Crime Cases?

The evidence used in Michigan sex crime cases relies heavily on victim testimony, as Michigan law explicitly states that the victim’s account does not need to be corroborated by other evidence for a conviction. Prosecutors will also use forensic evidence, such as DNA (blood, semen, hair) analysis, when available. Additionally, digital evidence (data from phones or computers) and credibility evidence (including testimony from therapists or evidence of prior inconsistent statements) are frequently introduced by both the prosecution and defense to either support the victim’s claim or challenge their reliability.

Is There a Statute of Limitations When it Comes to Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Michigan?

Yes. Every sexual abuse case has a statute of limitations. But how long the state has to file criminal charges will depend on the details of the case. A case involving second-degree criminal sexual conduct has a fifteen-year statute of limitations in most cases.

Still, it could extend up until the alleged victim’s 28th birthday. You can determine whether the statute of limitations will affect the charges against you when you contact a Michigan sex crimes lawyer for help with your defense.

Should I Take a Police Polygraph?

Police often use polygraphs as a way to prove that someone is lying or guilty of a crime. Polygraphs are not infallible. Extreme nervousness and anxiety could produce a false result. You should never take a polygraph without discussing your situation with your Michigan sex crimes lawyer.

Will I Lose Parental Rights if Accused of, or Charged With, Child Abuse or a Sex Crime?

If you are accused of, charged with, or convicted of child abuse or a sex crime, your child custody rights could be on the line. Michigan Child Protective Services will likely open up an investigation. You might have to leave your home so your children can stay through the course of the case.

Your child could be removed from your care and placed with a relative or foster family if the state determines there is abuse.

Can I Appeal My Sex Crime Conviction?

Appealing a sex crime conviction is possible depending on whether you meet the eligibility requirements. Those who were found guilty of a sex crime by trial have the right to appeal their conviction. Your Michigan sex crimes lawyer can determine if a post-conviction motion or a direct appeal to the appellate court is more effective.

location

Criminal Law Office in Detroit, MI

Our main office is located right on 615 Griswold Street in Detroit. We also have offices in Port Huron, Flint, and Southfield.

(313) 818-3238

615 Griswold St. Ste 719
Detroit, MI 48226-3912