People love to find the guilty person. If they didn’t, do you think we would have as many mystery murder shows on television? Think about it. The satisfaction of arresting the bad guy at the end is motivation enough for viewers to sit and watch more. Because we all thirst for a happy ending, we will do everything we can to arrest the bad guy. Except, sometimes, we arrest the wrong person. We want so badly to feel closure that we will sometimes take the wrong person and live in denial—especially when it involves perpetrators of sex crimes against the most vulnerable children. Our Los Angeles Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys at Okabe & Haushalter understand that thirst, but just because authorities can’t catch the right person doesn’t give them a license to catch any person.
A sex crime is any misdemeanor or felony of a sexual nature. From flashing someone to prostitution to forcible rape, any crime that involves sex is considered a sex crime. In California, anyone 17 or younger is not legally able to consent. Statutory rape law is violated when someone has sex—consensual or not—with someone who is under the age of 17 and is not their spouse.
In Los Angeles, a man was arrested under suspicion of sexually assaulting a young girl on an Elementary school playground. The 31-year-old man was on parole for sex crimes against children from Torrance. The young girl did not identify the man who had been arrested. Authorities looked at the surveillance cameras and saw that the man was near the campus for less than a minute. This arrest has its suspicions. Sure, this sex crime individual was probably violating parole by being near a school, but was he the one, or was he the one because they needed someone?
The penalties for first-time offenders are different than for multi-offenders. First-time sex offenders may face probation and fines, whereas someone with a record may face jail time. The news story doesn’t detail the man’s criminal history, nor does it prove that he was guilty. However, because it was a little girl and we all love a happy ending, this man may be the face of the crime even though it may not be him.
When you already have a criminal record, you almost always look guilty. The authorities know who you are and where to look, but that doesn’t mean that they are right. Our Los Angeles Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys are not here to judge. Instead, we are here to protect you. We are here to make sure you are getting a fair trial. We are here to ensure that you are not used as an example but given the respect any human should receive.
If you are charged with sex crimes, you need a strong, aggressive attorney. We are here for you. Call 310-543-7708 or click here to speak with our professional staff at Okabe & Haushalter in Los Angeles today.
