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Federal Sex Crimes

Federal Sex Crime Defense Lawyer

A Top-Rated federal sex crime attorney at our law firm will aggressively challenge any sexual-related offenses in the Central District of Los Angeles. Federal sex crimes expose a person to multiple years in federal prison, a lifetime of sex registration, and other restrictions/punishments that severely limit a person's ability to lead a productive life. Because of political pressure, lawmakers have created harsh sentencing laws for prosecuting sex crimes.

Many of these laws do not consider all the different circumstances that can occur when it comes to the various sex crimes that can be filed at the federal level. Hence, people are facing long prison sentences for simply viewing child pornography. Many of these people have no prior criminal records and lead an everyday criminal-free life otherwise. However, they face extreme consequences that should be saved for more serious offenders.

What Factors Does a Judge Consider in Sentencing? 

Many factors are essential when sentencing a person charged with a federal sex crime, especially in a federal child pornography case.

The judge will look at the person's criminal record, the nature and circumstances of the sex crime, the sophistication level of the person and their actions, and most importantly, whether the person is likely to commit the same or similar crime again and how dangerous they are to the community.

I often have a psychiatrist evaluate my client who is familiar with sex offenses and write a report addressing the likelihood that my client will be a repeat offender. If the information is thorough and credible, the judge will consider it before sentencing my client.

Finally, the judge will listen to the arguments of the prosecutor and defense attorney before making their decision. It is essential, in my opinion, that you hire a federal criminal defense attorney who has handled the type of case you are charged with in front of the judge you will be facing. If your attorney is familiar with the judge and their tendencies, you will be in the best position to achieve the best possible result.

How Is Bail Handled in a Federal Sex Case? 

In most federal criminal prosecutions, bail is dealt with at the initial appearance. A bail bondsman is typically not used because the person charged with the sex crime is remanded, permitted to sign or have a family member sign a signature bond (promising to pay a sum of money if the person does not show up to court), ordered to post a property bond (where the accused uses the property to assure their appearance) or is simply permitted to be released from custody upon their promise to appear.

However, because sex offenders pose a greater risk to the community than an average federal criminal defendant, their release is usually scrutinized much more closely. It is more difficult to obtain a bail that can be posted.

This is where a solid attorney is imperative! It is invaluable to an attorney who knows how to assure the judge and prosecutor that their client will not commit further crimes while out of custody and make all future court appearances.

There is no substitute for experience and knowing what will work and what won't. When your freedom, career, and reputation are on the line, call someone with the battle-tested experience you need.

What Factors Are Considered by Federal Prosecutors? 

One of the most significant factors for federal sex crime prosecutions centers around the number of images that the person has on their devices (computer, phone, tablet, etc.).  The more photos, the more likely the federal government will prosecute the case.

If the person only had a few images and had no prior criminal record, the feds are not likely to touch a case like that. Unfortunately, the nature of these cases requires the defendant to download thousands of images very quickly, and with minimal effort, the defendant faces many years in federal prison.  

The feds have specific policies and cutoffs for filing a case and not just handing the matter off to the state government to prosecute.

Another factor that federal prosecutors look at is the nature of the videos in question.  In other words, the more serious the images, the more likely they are to deal with the case and severely punish the defendant.

The younger the victims on the images they seize and the more serious the activity on the videos will trigger their wrath as far as what they file and what sentence they will seek from the judges.  They seem very focused on deterring and stopping the exploitation of children on the Internet, and anyone connected with that exploitation will be dealt with accordingly.

Finally, suppose the defendant had physical contact with any victim, the prosecution in the realm of a federal criminal sex crime case. In that case, it will more likely be dealt with at the national level if they can prove that the Internet was used and the person crossed or proposed to cross state lines.  

Even the exploitation or attempted exploitation of children overseas will trigger federal prosecutors to arrest and prosecute the offender.

To be charged with a sex crime on the federal level has more severe consequences than if you were to be set on the state level, and our experienced and aggressive federal defense attorneys are equipped with the knowledge and skill to defend your federal sex crime case.

Our federal sex crime attorneys know how the national system operates, and we are confident in our skill and legal strategies to represent you.

A conviction for a sex crime on the federal level results in imprisonment of as high as 20 years and even up to life, excessive fines, probation, mandatory sex offender registration, and annual re-registration so long as residing or working in California.

A federal sex crime charge requires an aggressive defense attorney who will fight for you and stand up for you until the end. We are the federal defense attorneys you are looking for. Our credentials are unmatched, and we are confident in our ability and capability to defend your federal sex crime charge.

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Hedding Law Firm is committed to answering your questions about state or federal sex crime issues in California and throughout the United States.

I'll privately discuss your case with you at your convenience. All consultations are free, discreet, and confidential. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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