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Child Sexual Assault

Sexually motivated crimes often carry harsh consequences, but if children are involved expect those penalties to increase significantly. Since child sexual assault involves minors who cannot consent, the state of Colorado will not hesitate to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law if you’re under suspicion of child sexual assault. If the court convicts you, then you could face a prison sentence, a huge court fine, and bear the label as a sex offender for the rest of your life.

Unfortunately, the effects of a child sexual assault conviction don’t stop at sentencing. Employers and licensing agencies will be able to access your record and sex offender status if you’re convicted of child sexual assault. You may be denied employment, housing opportunities, lose your professional license, and ultimately face shame and stigma from your community.

If you or someone you know has been charged with child sexual assault, it’s imperative you contact an experienced Colorado sex crimes attorney for representation.

Denver Child Sex Abuse Attorney

Sexual assault involving a child is one of the most serious allegations a person can face. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the situation, the gravity of such an accusation cannot be overstated. The Law Offices of Matthew A. Martin, PC have seen first-hand how tragic the outcome of a child sexual assault conviction can be.

If you’re facing a child sexual assault charge, don’t leave your future welfare to chance. Hire a competent, proven attorney who has been down this road before and who can help you bolster the best defense possible. To set up your first consultation with attorney Matthew Martin, contact our offices at (303) 725-0017.

Law Office of Matthew A. Martin, P.C. accepts clients throughout the greater Denver area including Broomfield County, Boulder County, Adams County, Douglas County, Arapahoe County, and Jefferson County.

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What Constitutes as Sexual Assault on a Child in Colorado?

Having sexual contact with any child under the age of 15 if you’re at least 4 years older is prohibited under Colorado law. The term “sexual contact” in reference to the statue is the touching of a child’s genital area, breasts, or buttocks for a sexual purpose. The act can consist of either touching the child or coercing the child to touch you, and in some cases both.

The charges still apply even if the child is clothed. Touching a child 15 and younger through their clothing still constitutes as sexual assault under Colorado law. The penalties for the crime increase significantly if at the time of the assault you were in a position of trust with the victim.

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What Are the Penalties for Child Sexual Assault in Colorado?

The penalties for child sexual assault in Colorado are not just harsh, but life changing. Since the lightest penalty you can receive is a felony upon conviction, you could be looking at years or even a decade in prison. Without any aggravating factors, sexual assault is a class 4 felony.

The maximum sentence a person can receive for a class 4 felony includes:

  • Up to 6 years in prison
  • A fine of up to $500,000

The court may reclassify the crime to class 3 felony if there is evidence that:

  • You used force to make the child consent
  • Threatened the child with extreme pain, serious bodily injury or death if they didn’t consent to the assault
  • Threatened to kill the child later or someone they know so they would submit to the sexual assault
  • The sexual assault was a part of a pattern of chronic sexual abuse

A class 3 felony is punishable by:

  • Up to 12 years in prison
  • A fine of up to $750,000

You could even face life in prison if the court discovers you possessed or threatened to use a deadly weapon during the crime, or the victim sustained a serious bodily injury or died.

As an additional component to your sentencing, the court will order you to register as a sex offender with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI). You’ll be obligated to register with the CBI once or four times a year. Your status will be available online and if you move CBI will notify your community of your status.

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How to Beat a Child Sexual Assault Charge in Colorado

  1. Retain legal counsel immediately – This is, without a doubt, the most important step to take for anyone who is facing a charge of child sexual assault. Even if you believe there isn’t any substantial evidence that could be used against you, and even if you believe you can navigate this on your own, your chances of a favorable outcome will be increased dramatically if you have a proven defense attorney representing you.
  2. Prepare Yourself Emotionally, Mentally, and Financially for the Road Ahead – No matter how strong you think you are when it comes to taking things personally or keeping your wits about you, make no mistake: your resilience and fortitude are going to be tested during these proceedings.So, it behooves you to prepare for what’s ahead, starting now. Make an honest, unfiltered evaluation of where you stand emotionally and mentally. This is a time to begin marshaling all of the support you can get, whether that comes from within yourself or from those closest to you. The same goes for your finances.Part of what’s involved in building a solid defense for those accused of child sexual assault includes the administration of specialized psychological tests, polygraph tests, and related evidence building. All of this is costly, and if you don’t have sufficient enough funds to afford it all, the prosecution is going to have a much easier time obtaining a conviction.
  1. Learn All You Can About This Area of Law – Educate yourself about child sexual assault legal defense. Read everything you can on the subject. Look at case files. Examine everything you can get your hands on that has anything to do whatsoever with the situation in which you now find yourself. Doing this will help you to understand why you’ll need to be doing the things your attorney is advising you to do. The better you can grasp the ‘whys’ throughout your court proceedings, the more confident you’ll be when it matters most.
  2. Sit down and Write a Timeline of the Event – This is something you can do either with or without your attorney. Either way, dedicate some time to sitting down, clearing your head, and writing out a timeline of the events that transpired. Leave nothing off the table, and include every conceivable detail, even if you think it won’t matter in the long run. Include dates, times, locations, correspondences, and any other information that could possibly be relevant to the facts in your case.
  3. Only Speak About the Case with Your Attorney – One of the biggest mistakes made by people who are facing a charge of sexual assault against a child is that they confide in or vent to people they shouldn’t confide in or vent to. There is a reason why attorney/client sexual assault defense lawyer confidentiality is so important, and that reason is to protect you. No one else on the planet is protected in this way. Remember that any and all of your conversations, emails, text messages, or other forms of communication could be admissible as condemnable evidence in court. All it takes is a subpoena from the court and your prior words could be used to convict.

 

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Additional Resources

Sex Offender Registry in Colorado– Visit the official website for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to learn more about the offenders on the registry and the registry itself. Access their site to see how you can look up an offender’s crime, location, and the requirements to sign up annually.

Colorado Revised Statutes | Child Sexual Assault– Visit the official website of the Colorado laws and legislation to read further about their chapter on sexually motivated crimes. Access their statutes to learn about sexual assault on an adult, the penalties, and other comparable crimes.

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Child Sexual Assault Denver Lawyer, CO

Are you in need of legal representation due to child sexual assault allegations? Then we highly suggest you get in contact with Law Office of Matthew A. Martin, P.C.. Matt Martin has been providing top-tier criminal defense services for more than 28 years. In that time, he has defended numerous clients in child sexual assault cases—giving them the guidance, advice, and representation they need to justly defend their rights and protect their integrity.

Schedule your first consultation with Law Office of Matthew A. Martin, P.C. by calling (303) 725-0017 to speak to Matthew Martin. Law Office of Matthew A. Martin, P.C. accepts clients throughout the greater Denver metropolitan area.