Common Types of Internet Sex Crimes in Waukesha
A cyber sex crime conviction can devastate your life. Everything in your life will change, and the impact this type of sentence has on your family and close friends can also be quite devastating. If you have been charged with Internet sex crimes, it is imperative that you seek aggressive and knowledgeable legal counsel to represent your case.
Monitoring Internet Activities
The government invests countless man hours and expense in monitoring Internet activity for sex crimes. It is very important to understand that many activities that you may believe are not considered sex crimes are just that.
Common Sex-Related Crimes On The Internet
- Solicitation
- Solicitation with a minor
- Cyber Stalking
- Sexual intimidation
- Online dating that results in rape or sexual assault
- Sextortion – hacking personal information to obtain nude photos of someone so information is released
This is only a short list of actions that can be considered Internet sex crimes. Other actions can fall under this category. If you have been charged with an Internet-based sex crime, you should seek immediate help from a criminal defense lawyer Waukesha.
What A Sex Crime Conviction Can Mean To Your Life
Being convicted of an Internet-based sex crime will hold the same penalties as those that occurred completely offline. You face the possibility of a prison sentence, large financial penalties, and you may be required to register as a sex offender. Wisconsin has some of the strictest laws and penalties when it comes to sex crimes n the country. If you are facing this type of criminal charge, you should not face it alone.
A conviction could cause you to lose your job, separate you from your friends and family, and limit the places where you can live. You will be required to report this conviction on all job applications, rental agreements that request conviction information and any other relevant document that needs criminal history.
Being convicted of a sex crime will also have a serious effect on your social standing. People will act differently around you, many friends will “forget” about you, and all of your close relationships will face hardships. This type of conviction will not be easy for anyone.
There is hope when you are charged with this type of crime. A results-oriented attorney can build a case for your defense that will help you arrive at the best possible outcome for your situation.
Building A Defense For Your Case
Your criminal defense lawyer Waukesha cannot guarantee that you will not be convicted or any specific outcome to your case. It would be reckless and unethical to make any guarantees. However, your attorney can guarantee that they will build the strongest defense possible and will protect your rights as the accused so that you receive the best possible outcome in your case.
Once you have hired your attorney, they will begin building your case. All criminal cases will proceed as follows:
- Initial Interview. Your attorney will sit down with you and have a very candid talk about what you are accused of and what are the resulting penalties. Your attorney will ask you for your side of the story and will require that you are as detailed as possible. Even with delicate matters such as sex-related crimes on the Internet, your attorney will want to know everything so that they can build a strong defense.
- Gathering and Reviewing of Evidence. The next step your attorney will take is to gather and look at all the evidence. This is the most important part of preparing the case. The information discovered during the evidence review will determine the next steps of the case.
- Client Meeting. Your attorney will discuss with you the facts about the case based on the evidence presented. At that time your attorney will wither recommend that you allow them to make a plea bargain on your behalf, or they want to encourage you to take the case to trial. Either way, your attorney will only proceed with your approval.
- Jury Selection. If your case is going to go to trial, your attorney will be very aggressive about the jury selection process. People can have very strong opinions and perceptions about sex-related cases and your attorney will make sure that this type of bias is not going to impact your case.
- A conclusion of Trial. Your attorney will make sure that you have received a fair trial. If your attorney feels as if your trial was biased in any way, they will recommend an appeal on your behalf.
One Very Important Fact About Sex-Related Crimes On The Internet
One of the scariest parts of being accused of a sex crime is finding out that the other person involved was a minor. Sex-related cases that involve a minor are very serious. If you are making contact with anyone on the internet, even if it is just to make small talk and be social, you must make sure that you are not interacting with a minor. If you cannot guarantee that the person on the other end of the conversation is not a minor, it may be in your best interest to simply avoid the communication altogether.
Social Media Activity And Sex Crime Allegations
If you are being accused of a sexually based crime, or you have been officially charged with one, it is highly recommended that you avoid social media. Social media posts are public information and regardless of any filter you may place on your account, postings can be public. It is in your best interest to refrain from posting anything on social media until the case is over.
You will also want to ask all family members and close acquaintances that know of your situation to refrain from posting anything about your case or your charges. Anything that is said, positive or negative, can be used against you in court. The prosecution is going to search for as much information about you on social media so that they can create a character reference about you to present to the jury.