Sex Crimes Defense

Sex Crime Defense

If you are charged with a sex crime, you can go from being a person with no experience with the system to facing decades or the rest of your life in prison. Lissa has defended clients from false accusations of sex crimes for her entire time in private practice. The way that the State investigates sex crimes means that you can be charged with serious crimes and face prison without a shred of forensic evidence. Quick investigation is critical in these cases more than most. If you are contacted by police and told you are being accused of a sex crime or are under investigation, do not make any statements. Call a lawyer. You need a legal team to begin work as soon as possible. Witnesses need to be interviewed immediately. Frequently, not all relevant witnesses are interviewed by the police. Evidence needs to be collected that the police haven’t found. Motivations for false accusations need to be discerned and meticulously investigated.

If you are contacted by law enforcement and told that someone has accused you of something sexual, you need to not make any statements to the police and call an attorney immediately. Otherwise, you could be quickly arrested and be facing decades in prison in a matter of days or weeks, and then trying to litigate your case from a jail cell without the benefit of defense work that you could have done prior to your arrest.

Quick and detailed investigations by an experienced attorney can be the difference between prison and an acquittal or a dismissal. That is not hyperbole; it’s a statement backed by years of practicing law in this area.

Here are some past cases Lissa has taken:

No charges filed: Client was a high-profile member of a major metropolitan area. He issued a public apology after being accused of a sex crime, which went viral. Lissa executed a successful press strategy in the case, and allowed her client to submit to media interviews where he explained his thought process. She did this as she knew the DA’s office was watching. Her strategy paid off; client was not charged with any crime.

No charges filed: Client was being investigated after being falsely accused of inappropriate actions with a child. Lissa opened up a line of communication with the detective assigned to the investigation. After presenting favorable evidence to the detective, the detective decided he did not have probable cause for any crime and closed the investigation completely.

Dismissal of all charges: Client facing 75 years in prison. After reviewing discovery and earning the trust of the family, Lissa was able to determine the motive for the false accusation and have witness statements that documented it. In addition, Lissa was able to work with the client to get favorable evidence to present to the prosecutor. After spending three months in jail, all charges dismissed.

Dismissal of all charges: Client accused of sex crimes while allegedly in a hotel room with multiple other people, including alleged “victim’s” boyfriend. Client charged with serious felonies. After investigation and witness statements were discovered and presented to the prosecutor, all charges dismissed before trial.

Dismissal of all charges: Client, a business owner, was charged with unlawful sexual conduct against one of his employees. After case was pending for a bit, Lissa interviewed the alleged “victim.” Victim recanted all of her accusations. All charges dismissed.

Dismissal of all charges: did not want to prosecute and face the false accusation. She actually moved out of state and tried to move on with her life after making the false accusation. Client rejected all plea deals. The day before jury trial, State dismissed all charges.

Jury verdict to Lesser Offense: Client charged with sex crimes involving multiple alleged victims. High-profile case due to client’s profession. Lissa co-counseled trial on one of the victims. The case involved substantial pre-trial motions and litigation. At trial, Lissa, along with co-counsel, were able to persuade the jury to only convict of a lesser offense. This resulted in a probation sentence instead of a prison sentence. Additionally, this allowed Lissa and her co-counsel to negotiate the counts involving the other victims for a much more favorable resolution than had originally been offered.

Plea to an expungeable offense: Client charged with Rape. After investigating the case and forcing the prosecutor to litigate for months, favorable evidence was discovered by the State. This forced an offer to an offense that was eventually taken off client’s record. Instead of risking decades in prison at trial, forcing litigation and getting the prosecutor to the table resulted in plea negotiations that were favorable to the client and is allowing the client to achieve his professional goals.

Plea to probation: Client was facing prison for sexual conduct with a minor. Prosecutor was insisting on prison. After contested sentencing, client was sentenced to probation.

Plea for significantly reduced sentence: Client was involved in a high-profile case due to his profession. Lissa was able to secure multiple witness interviews that helped her client evaluate his options in light of the fact that the State had weaknesses in the quality of its investigation. Client accepted a plea deal, but for a mere fraction of the time that he would have faced with a different team or had he proceeded to trial.

Plea for significantly reduced sentence: Client was facing 25 years in prison. Lissa took the case before charges were ever filed and immediately began preparing for trial. After client was charged, Lissa presented evidence to the prosecutor that made her decide to make an offer outside of a mandatory minimum sentence, and for a prison sentence of 5 years instead.

Plea for significantly reduced sentence: Client was facing 25 years in prison. Lissa was able to secure a plea deal that did not include any charges for a victim where client maintained his innocence. Resulting plea deal: just over 4 years in prison.