Child Molestation - Arizona Criminal & DUI Defense Attorney
Aggressive, Affordable Arizona Lawyer 24/7 for Child Molestation Charges
If you or a loved one has been accused of child molestation, it's time to act. A child molestation conviction will follow you for the rest of your life. Mandatory notifications and online databases will prevent you from ever putting the experience behind you. Strangers will know and neighbors will shun you. Law enforcement will always have you in their crosshairs, and you'll feel unable to escape from suspicion.
Types of Arizona Child Molestation Charges
In Arizona, child molestation involves intentionally or knowingly engaging in sexual contact with a child under the age of 15. Another law prohibits continuous sexual abuse, which is defined as engaging in three or more sexual acts with a child under the age of 15. Both are considered class 2 felonies. The crime of sexual abuse, which involves sexual contact with the female breast when the child is under the age of 15, is a class 3 felony.
The prison terms for convictions are steep. Child molestation carries a range of 10 to 24 years in prison – and 21 to 35 years if there's been a previous conviction. Sexual abuse carries a minimum of 2-1/2 years and a maximum of 7-1/2 years. Because these are considered Dangerous Crimes Against Children (DCAC), sentences cannot be reduced and probation is not possible. If there's a conviction on multiple counts, the sentences must be served consecutively – one after the other – which often translates to a life sentence.
Beating a Child Molestation Charge in Arizona or Surrounding Cities
There are many ways to win a child molestation case in Arizona, as well as ways to get the charges reduced and penalties minimized. Some of the most common defenses Paul Ramos uses are: