New Bedford Sex Crimes Lawyer Serving Massachusetts

In the state of Massachusetts, simply being accused of any type of sex crime can be catastrophic to your future. If you or a loved one has been formally charged with a sex crime, you’re most likely dealing with a wide spectrum of powerful emotions.

Fear, anger, confusion, and indignation are all feelings you may experience through this process. This renders you completely unable to present an unbiased and focused defense in a court of law. By working with a talented and successful New Bedford sex crimes lawyer, you stand a much better chance of getting your name cleared of these heinous charges.

When you choose New Bedford Sex Crimes Defense Attorney Courtney K. Fogarty to fervently defend you in court, you benefit from her 10 years of experience handling sex crimes in Massachusetts. Whether you’re facing misdemeanor or felony charges, the Law Office of Courtney K. Fogarty is completely prepared to effectively manage your sex crime case.

Penalties

The legal punishments and penalties for a sex crime conviction are quite severe. Depending on your specific charges, you may be facing a mandatory minimum prison sentence and mandatory registration as a sex offender.

Indecent exposure carries the lightest penalty of any sex crime, with up to 6 months in jail. For rape or statutory rape, you may be sentenced to life in a state penitentiary. The same is true if your charges involve a minor under the age of 16.

But even if you receive a light sentence, the ripples across your life can be absolutely devastating. You’ll have a long probation period, be required to wear a court-ordered GPS monitor on your ankle or wrist, and attend psychotherapy as dictated by the court.

Finally, you’ll be required to register for life with the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board as a sex offender. Without a knowledgeable and focused New Bedford sex crimes attorney on your side, your entire future can be altered as a result of one judge.

Types of Sex Crime Charges

Sex offenses in the state of Massachusetts span a wide range of actions, and most require registering as a sex offender if you’re found guilty. Here are a few of the most common sex crime charges in the Massachusetts court system:

• Indecent assault and battery on a minor under the age of 14
• Indecent assault and battery on a minor age 14 or older
• Rape
• Indecent exposure
• Statutory rape
• Assault with the intent to rape
• Rape and abuse of a minor under age 16
• Kidnapping a child
• Drugging individual(s) with intent to rape
• Distributing to a minor material which is harmful to a minor
• Enticing individual(s) into prostitution or sexual intercourse

Potential Defenses

As your expert criminal defense attorney, Courtney will investigate and research the facts of your case. This allows you to go to trial with the absolute best defense for your specific situation.

One strategy that’s often successful is revealing your accuser’s malicious intent. It’s unfortunately common for sex crime accusations to be used as a weapon during divorce proceedings, child custody hearings, or even simply because the accuser wants some kind of revenge for a failed relationship.

Another avenue that may be worth exploring is challenging or disputing the evidence against you. As an experienced New Bedford sex crimes lawyer who was also an Assistant District Attorney, Courtney K. Fogarty knows exactly how to successfully suppress evidence. If any evidence was contaminated, wrongly handled, or illicitly obtained, Courtney will work to have it removed from your case.

FAQs

What is Statutory Rape or the Age of Consent in Massachusetts?

In Massachusetts, statutory rape is defined by the Massachusetts General Laws as sexual intercourse with a minor who is less than 16 years of age. The Age of Consent requires a minor to be 16 years or older in order to legally consent to sexual intercourse.

What are Some of the Defenses Available to a Rape Charge?

The defenses available to overcome a rape charge largely depend on the details of your case. One option is to claim that no sexual intercourse/acts ever happened, and the victim is either mistaken or getting malicious revenge on you.

Another path is to claim that you are not the perpetrator of the sex crimes you’re being charged with. It’s fairly common for victims of sex crimes to be pressured into identifying witnesses or perpetrators from a lineup. If this is happening to you, we can absolutely fight it in court.

What Do You Do if You are Falsely Accused of Sexual Assault?

If you are falsely accused of sexual assault, it’s crucial that you avoid making statements to anyone. Don’t get in touch with the person accusing you, and don’t ask your family or friends to speak with the victim on your behalf. Everything you do can and will be used against you by the accuser and their legal team.

This goes for the police as well. Make use of your right to remain silent until your lawyer is by your side. You may be offered a polygraph test before your lawyer is present, and it’s wise to avoid this too.

The most important thing to do if you or a loved one is facing sexual assault charges is hiring an expert New Bedford sex crimes lawyer to aggressively defend you. MA Criminal Defense Attorney Courtney K. Fogarty of Fogarty Law has over 10 years of experience handling sex crimes.

Hiring a New Bedford Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer

Just call (508) 317-0339 to book your 60-minute initial consultation, completely free of charge.