Consequences of a Sexual Imposition Criminal Conviction

Being charged with sexual imposition means that someone has accused you or charged you with forcing or causing them to engage in a sexual activity with someone other than yourself. Typical examples of a sexual imposition case include forced prostitution, or acting as an agent in drugging another person so someone else can engage in a sexual activity with them. In cases where the imposition charge is in conjunction with an accusation of rape, this typically means the defendant is accused of holding an individual down or constraining the victim in order to facilitate a rape.

Misdemeanor vs. Felony

There are different degrees of both misdemeanor and felony charges in sexual imposition cases, and they depend on both the state the offense took place in, and the nature of the imposition. For instance:

• A “grab”, or touching someone’s genitals without their permission is a class 2 misdemeanor,
  
• Holding down a victim so another individual can perform a rape is considered a class D felony.
  

However, these are simply common findings, the true classification of these crimes must be determined by each individual state. 

Sexual Imposition vs. Gross Sexual Imposition 

There are also different classifications regarding the title of the crime itself, in the form of the added term “gross” or “aggravated”. These terms typically are added to a sexual imposition charge when the charge is directly relevant to a serious sex crime, such as sexual assault or rape, or in instances where the defendant was involved in a sex crime that lead to a serious injury or death. These “gross” sexual imposition charges are in almost all cases considered felonies. 

Possible Consequences for a Sexual Imposition Conviction 

There is a seemingly never-ending list of possible sentences that may be imposed for each of the varying degrees of a sexual imposition conviction, due to the many varying differences in the severity of the offense, and the psychological or physical damages suffered by the victim. The first differences are obvious: the differences between a misdemeanor sexual imposition charge, and a felony gross sexual imposition charge. However, one similarity between both the felony and misdemeanor charges is that a conviction will require the offender to offer his personal information to the national sex offender registry, which can effect where he lives, depending on how close his residence falls to a posted school zone. Possible outcomes in a sexual imposition charge, either misdemeanor or felony level, include:

• Fines and restitution, should it be found the victim suffered injury or any expenses due to medical care after the offense
• Imprisonment of up to 1 year for misdemeanors or 10 to 25 years for felony level sexual imposition charges
• Added sentencing time in cases of reoccurring offenses

Getting Help

If you are accused of or charged with any form of sexual imposition, you should seek legal counsel immediately. This is a serious crime with serious penalties and the assistance of legal counsel is vital if you wish to defend yourself and keep your freedom and future safe.