St. Petersburg Softball Coach Arrested for Allegedly Having Sex with Teen

A 28-year-old Pinellas County softball coach has been arrested for allegedly having sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl three times, starting last summer and ending in January.

According to deputies, the alleged sexual batteries occurred at a private residence in St. Petersburg.

The man, who lives in a home in St. Petersburg with his girlfriend and two children, apparently admitted he engaged in sexual activity with the girl after deputies arrested him.

He was charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious battery and transported to the Pinellas County Jail.

Statutory rape, also identified as lewd and lascivious battery, is an extremely serious criminal charge as it involves sexual contact with an underage individual. The consequences of a conviction can have a lasting impact on your future, including mandatory registration as a sexual offender. What could be just a simple misunderstanding could land you in prison for many years, so it is important to have a Florida Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer on your side to protect you from the ramifications of a statutory rape conviction.

In the state of Florida, statutory rape makes it illegal for any person who is 24 years of age or older to participate in a sexual act with a person who is under the age of 18. Statutory rape is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Different from other rape crimes, consent is not considered a factor with statutory rape charges because the victim is considered as not capable of giving consent, so this cannot be used as a defense. Moreover, the State can bring charges against the accused despite whether the victim decides to press charges or not.

If you find yourself facing statutory rape charges or any other sex crimes charge, understand that you do not have to face this situation alone. A Florida Statutory Rape Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton can provide you with a free consultation and advise you of your best defense options. Give us a call today in St. Petersburg at 866-608-5529 or dial us statewide and toll-free at 866-608-5529, or contact us online.