Few things are more world-shattering than being charged with a crime. Being accused of molestation can come as a heavy blow, and these allegations can impact your life from the moment the charges are leveled against you, long before any conviction is reached. Neighbors may whisper while friends ebb away just during the time you need their support the most. These allegations can turn your world upside down, leaving you confused as to where to turn for help. However, just because you are accused of the crime of molestation does not mean you have to forego your rights, and one of those rights is the ability to retain defense counsel in criminal court. If you need a molestation defense lawyer, the skilled and experienced attorneys at Okabe & Haushalter can help you stand up against these charges in court.
Section 646.7 of the California Penal Code outlines the crime of molestation. This law states that anyone who is convicted of molesting or annoying a child for the purposes of attaining sexual arousal for themselves could face a penalty of up to one year in a local jail and a court-compelled fine of up to 5,000 dollars. Other parts of the California Penal Code define related offenses that may be “stacked” alongside the molestation charge, such as statutory rape (Section 261.5), lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor under age 14 (Section 288), or sexual battery (Section 243.4).
In cases where child molestation is being alleged, the prosecution will often seek to stack charges, appending related charges to your original molestation charge. Some of these charges could include lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, statutory rape, or sexual battery. All of these charges carry their own penalties, and if convicted of multiple charges, you could be facing a stack of penalties as well, resulting in years behind bars and tens of thousands of dollars in court-mandated fines. Prosecution practices such as these are why you need the very best defense attorneys on your side. If you are facing stacked charges, we will fight to get those charges reduced so you can spend less money on fines and less time behind bars.
You do not have to sit back in silence while you are accused of a crime. If you need a molestation defense lawyer in Palo Alto, the expert criminal defense team at Okabe & Haushalter can fight for you in court. We are renowned for playing hardball in court, and we will work aggressively to give you the rock-solid defense you need in court. We have a long list of success stories backing us, and with our skills and experience, we are confident that we can get the most favorable outcome possible for you in your case as well. Contact us today for a free consultation, and see for yourself why we have earned our reputation for providing courtroom excellence.