Sex crime charges in Michigan carries the possibility of jail or prison time, plus the burdens of registering as a sex offender. The majority of sex crimes in Michigan are felony charges. As a result, these offenses are treated incredibly seriously by everyone from witnesses, to potential jurors, to all the other parties involved. This is because sex crimes are often incredibly difficult for the alleged victim to discuss, as the crime usually involves an individual taking advantage of them physically, mentally, or emotionally.
Criminal Sexual Conduct refers broadly to rape, sexual contact with minors, sex with vulnerable adults and other nonconsensual sexual acts. Minnesota statute defines five levels of Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC), with first degree meaning the most severe offenses.
1st-degree CSC automatically triggers lifetime registration as a predatory sex offender.
2nd-degree CSC is similar to first degree, involving sexual contact without penetration. It is common for defendants to be charged with both first and second-degree charges. A conviction carries up to 25 years in prison, with a minimum sentence of seven and a half years, plus lifetime sex offender registry.
3rd-degree CSC includes statutory rape: sexual penetration when the complainant is a minor, but the defendant is also a minor or an adult close in age. It also applies to sexual penetration by people in certain positions of authority, including psychotherapists, clergy members, peace officers or correctional facility staff. This offense is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
4th-degree CSC is similar to third degree, but without penetration. A conviction carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. A conviction for third or fourth-degree CSC typically requires registering as a sex offender for 10 years.
Every State have their own division of degrees of CSC cases. Not only can a criminal sexual conduct charge result in jail time and fines, but it can damage your reputation. Individuals convicted of criminal sexual conduct are often forced to have their names placed on the Public Sex Offender Registry for years, which allows individuals to know your place of residence and the nature of your crime.
Because sex crime cases often include subtleties and differing versions of situations, there could be gaps or discrepancies in the account of circumstances laid out by the prosecutor. Criminal sexual conduct defense attorneys will find those inconsistencies and know how to present the evidence and facts that back up your narrative and your innocence. With an attorney's help, you might get your charge reduced, dismissed, or get acquitted by a jury, to soften the impact on your life.
