Ocala Sex Crime Lawyers Whittel & Melton

A sex crime accusation carries a stigma that is unmatched by any other crimes. Whether you are facing charges of rape, sexual abuse, prostitution, child molestation, child pornography, or any others, these cases are emotionally charged and usually involve many complex facets that must be challenged in order to create reasonable doubt. Our Ocala Sex Crime Lawyers at Whittel & Melton know that there are two sides to every story, and we will listen to yours and make sure we do everything we can to get you an outcome to your case that you can live with.

At Whittel & Melton, our Ocala Sex Crime Attorneys know the sensitive nature of a sex crime charge as well as just being accused. We also know the very real punishments you are facing if convicted. Our team of criminal defense trial lawyers have the skillset and knowledge needed to craft together a strong defense strategy for your unique situation. We will listen to your version of what happened and explain what you can expect as we move forward with your case. You can rest assured that we will use every tool in our arsenal to negotiate with prosecutors for a reduction or dismissal of charges whenever possible. We will conduct our own investigation into the evidence against you to identify weaknesses in the State’s case so that we can challenge the accusations against you. We are trial lawyers, so if we must proceed to argue in front of a judge and jury, we will be ready to fight.

We are well respected in the communities we serve throughout the state of Florida. If you are in need of a sex crime defense lawyer in Ocala, please do not delay and contact us now online or call 352-369-5334.

Whatever sex crime charge you are facing, the State will have to prove certain elements of the crime in order to achieve a conviction. We will comb through every shred of evidence the prosecution has in order to challenge their case, which includes investigating any witnesses they have and reviewing their statements to look for false statements or inconsistencies.

Your specific defense may be built around the following factors:

• Accusation that are false
• Mistaken identity
• Witnesses lying
• Misleading witnesses
• Improper forensic testing procedures and their results (this usually pertains to rape kits and DNA evidence)
• Inappropriately misleading witness interviews
• Police, prosecution, witnesses bias (such as race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, etc.)

The question of consent is usually at the center of most sex crime charges involving adult parties. Sometimes the initial account made by the alleged victim in these cases changes as a trial date looms and the case begins to feel real.

Sex crimes involving minors do not involve the issue of consent as minors are presumed incapable of consenting to this behavior in the eyes of the law.

What most sex crime cases boil down to is what version of events is more believable. There are opportunities to convince prosecutors to agree to a lesser charge or sentence when there are weaknesses in the State’s case. If the State’s case falls apart, then charges may be dismissed entirely or even defeated in court.

For other cases, sometimes a plea deal is the appropriate way to go. If this in your best interest, then we will fully discuss the consequences of your choice so that you are fully prepared for what this means for you now and in the future.

No matter the circumstances of your sex crime charge, we will present all of your options and help you pursue the best possible outcome. We will keep you informed of everything along the way so that you always know what is happening and why.

We handle every sex crime on the books in the state of Florida, from sexual acts committed against a child to those committed against a person lacking mental or physical capacity as well as someone who was drunk or drugged at the time of the offense. We can handle any of the following charges:

• Rape
• Date rape
• Statutory rape
• Sexual assault
• Sexual abuse (clergy, Boy Scouts of America, etc.)
• Child pornography
• Child molestation
• Solicitation of a minor
• Prostitution
• Voyeurism

When it comes to sex crime cases, usually only the two parties involved know what really happened. Sex crime accusations can be made against anyone, and sadly, many people use these allegations as weapons. We have seen people make accusations against ex-lovers to retaliate for hurt feelings or even to gain advantage in a child custody case. The truth of the matter is that once these accusations are made, it can be extremely difficult for the accused to recover their reputation.

No matter what you are accused of, you have the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. You need to retain legal counsel as soon as possible so that your legal team can review the facts and evidence to challenge whatever charges you are facing. Once you get our Ocala Sex Crime Lawyers at Whittel & Melton involved, we can determine if the State has a strong case or not and work to prevent a conviction or have the charges reduced or dropped.

We understand that you are probably frightened and worried about your future. We want you to know that there are strategies for your case and we can help you. Call us today at 352-369-5334 or contact us online for a free consultation.