Sexual assault is a serious criminal offense in the State of Texas that is harshly prosecuted in the criminal justice system. Sexual Assault is a term used to the describe the heinous act of taking sex by force, and was formerly referred to as “rape” until a change in nomenclature was ordered. There are laws against sexual assault in Texas, and the penalties for anyone convicted of a sex crime is stiff.
Aggravated Sex Crimes
In some situations, the State of Texas may seek to upgrade a sexual assault charge to that of an aggravated sexual assault crime. The circumstances in which a normal rape case can become classified as an aggravated sexual assault in Houston are listed below.
- The victim is injured or their is an attempt on their life during the sex crime.
- Threat that force the victim to comply due to fear. Threats can be against the victim, or another person.
- If a weapon is involved or the victim is disabled or unable to defend themselves. This applies to people who qualify as senior citizens, and people who are young children.
Criminal Penalties For Sexual Assault in Texas
Sexual Assault
A person convicted of sexual assault in a Houston area court of law will need to quickly hire a criminal defense lawyer as they can expect penalties commensurate with a 2nd degree felony which carries with it a sentence of anywhere from 2 to 20 years in the Texas Department of Corrections (also referred to as the Texas Department of Criminal Justice) in addition to a possible monetary fine of up to 10,000.00.
Aggravated Sexual Assault
Aggravated sexual assault is a more serious felony that carries with it a stronger penalty due to the escalated nature of the violence involved in the criminal offense. A 1st Degree Felony in the state of Texas, sentencing can range from 5 years, to a hefty 99 years of incarceration. The larger sentences are generally applied with the details of the severity of the crime in mind.
In other words, aggravated assault of an adult is one thing, but aggravated assault of a child is far more serious which will guarantee a push by the prosecutor for the maximum sentence possible. The consequences of the crime makes having a top sex crimes lawyer all the more important.
Sex Offender Registration
For anyone convicted of a sex crime in Texas lifetime sex offender registration is mandatory. This will affect where you can live, what types of jobs you’re allow to hold, and may cost a number of other benefits & rights available to other Texans.
Need Help? Hire a Houston Criminal Defense Attorney
If you’ve been accused, arrested, or suspected of committing a criminal offense that may be deemed as sexual in nature, I have to recommend talking with an experienced criminal lawyer as soon as possible. In sexual assault cases, the defendant if often assumed guilty and must be proven innocent in full fashion of making a mockery of how the American legal system is supposed to operate. Due to the nature of such offense, some can see this societal mood towards sex crime defendants as understandable, but is it fair?
The answer to the question is the reason why having legal representation is crucial in sexual assault related criminal trials in Houston, Texas.
