If you are facing a criminal charge for any crime, you should be sure to talk extensively with an experienced defense attorney to understand more than just the sentence you will face. For many crimes, there are unexpected collateral consequences that can affect your life. Considering those consequences will help you make decisions about how you want to proceed with your defense. This is especially true for sex crimes. While we can’t address all of the unexpected consequences in a blog post, we can address some of the most common ones.
Registry
If you are convicted of a sex crime, you may be required to register on a sex offender registry. These registration requirements are strict and failure to abide by them can result in additional criminal charges and harsh consequences. These registries tend to have your name, home address, employment address, description, picture and list of convictions attached to them. This means that when you move to a new home or change your employment, you need to update the registry. Failure to do so in a timely manner can have major consequences.
Reputation
Along with the registry, is potential damage to your reputation. Your reputation could widely be at stake because sex offense registries are public record, for anyone to search. Neighbors, employers, and strangers can search the registry. This is important to consider when deciding how to defend yourself against the allegations. You may be facing prison charges and decide to plead guilty to avoid prison. If you do so, however, you should do so with the knowledge that your reputation may still be damaged because of public records.
Employment
If you are convicted of a sex crime, be aware that your employment may be threatened. You may be prevented from obtaining certain licenses and, in turn, be prevented from obtaining certain types of employment. You could also be in jeopardy of losing your current employment. That could lead to loss of your livelihood, inability to pay court fines, and more. At each step of planning for your defense, make sure to revisit any potential threat to your employment as you make decisions.
We know that these are intimidating consequences on top of facing a criminal conviction and potential incarceration. We are here to guide you toward the best possible outcome for you and your circumstances. Rest assured we discuss unexpected consequences with each of our clients and make sure you are prepared for the outcome of your case.
Are you or a loved one facing a sex crime? Give us a call today for your consultation.