Falsely Accused of Sex with a Minor: What Now?

Sex with a minor is a serious accusation, with serious consequences. The penalty, if you are convicted, can include incarceration, fines, probation and mandated sex offender registration. It is important to handle such charges with seriousness.

What To Do If You Were Wrongly Accused of Having Sex with a Minor

If you have been wrongly accused of having sex with a minor, it is important to take action to protect your freedom and rights. An attorney can help you prepare your case. Here are some steps to take in addition to hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney:

• You will need to gather evidence. Evidence should help show that the accusations are false (i.e. that you are innocent). This evidence may include affidavits of witnesses who can testify about your relationship with the minor, communications (including text messages and other multi-media messages) between you and the minor that help to clarify your relationship and any other evidence that may be helpful to your case. You will provide your attorney with all of the details about your relationship and the false accusations.
• Many times, false accusations stem from a young person who feels hurt or rejected by an older companion. Sometimes, parents of the minor decide to press charges, accusing the adult party of sexual misconduct. Parents like to think their children are innocent, and want to place the blame on someone if their child is acting out. It is unfortunate, but helpful to your case to understand what motivated these accusations.
• An expert psychologist may also be brought in to court to help bolster your case, if one is available and suited to discuss the psychology behind the motivation to falsely accuse you.
• Sometimes, when divorce is messy, one parent falsely accuses the other of misconduct. This is a particularly bad situation because it leads to strained relationships and other future issues with parenting.
• Do everything to protect yourself and make your innocence known.

Getting Legal Help

If you have been accused of having sex with a minor, it is imperative that you get expert legal advice immediately. Charges of sexual illegal misconduct are extremely serious because they can taint your reputation and lead to life as a registered sex offender. The shame and embarrassment can follow you for the rest of your life, even if you are wrongly accused. A lawyer can help you defend yourself from the outrageous allegations against you.