Mom Sentenced to 30 Years for Having Sex with Teen Granted Asylum in Canada

A 47-year-old mortgage broker who ran away from Florida with her family after being criminally convicted in 2008 for having sex with a 16-year-old boy on her son’s baseball team has been granted asylum in Canada.

According to the National Post, the woman received permission to apply for permanent residency because her 30-year sentence was deemed cruel and unusual punishment in violation of international standards.

In the state of Florida, it is illegal for a person older than 24 to have sex with an individual who is 16 or younger. In Canada, however, the age of consent is 16 unless the other person is an adult in a position of authority.

Attempting to use the Canadian refugee system as a means of getting out of serving jail time is extremely rare, and it is even more uncommon that it is effective. In 2013, 69 Americans applied for refugee status, but only three were granted asylum, according to records kept by a Canadian government agency.

If you are convicted of a sex crime in Florida, the consequences can be quite severe, as this case shows. The potential punishments associated with a sex crimes charge could follow you around for the rest of your life, which is why you must enlist the help of a Florida Sex Crimes Lawyer at Whittel & Melton as soon as possible. Remember, there is no such thing as a minor sex crime in Florida.

If you have been charged with a sex crime anywhere in the state of Florida, please call a Florida Sex Crimes Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melon today statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for your convenience.