Maryland Sex Offense Lawyer

First Degree Rape

Rape in the first degree is covered by Maryland criminal code ß 3-303. According to this code, it is illegal to engage in vaginal intercourse with another individual by force or intimidation without the other individual’s consent, while doing one or more of the following:

• Displaying or employing a dangerous weapon or other object the victim believes to be a dangerous weapon
• Disfiguring, strangling, suffocating or otherwise inflicting serious physical injury to the victim or another individual in commission of the crime
• Threatening to kidnap, seriously injure, disfigure, strangle, suffocate or kill the victim
• Committing the crime with the help of another individual
• Committing the crime while also committing first, second or third degree burglary

The penalty associated with first degree rape is a felony conviction, as well as an incarceration term of up to life in prison. If the victim is under the age of 16, the penalty is life in prison with no possibility of parole. The penalty is the same if the victim is under 13 and the offender is over the age of 18.

Second Degree Rape

Rape in the second degree is covered by criminal code ß 3-304. According to this code, an individual may not engage in vaginal intercourse with another individual:

• Through the use of force, or the threat of force, without the other individual’s consent
• If the alleged victim is mentally incapacitated, mentally defective or physically helpless, and the offender knows this
• If the victim is younger than 14 years of age, and the offender is 4 or more years older than the victim

The penalties associated with second degree rape include a felony conviction, as well as a prison term of up to 20 years. If the victim is younger than 13 and the offender is over the age of 18, the penalty involves a prison term of between 15 years and life. Fifteen years is the mandatory minimum sentence in this case, which cannot be suspended.

Sexual Offense Crimes

While crimes of rape are those that include vaginal intercourse, sexual offense crimes are those that include other types of sexual acts, including anal intercourse, analingus, cunnilingus, fellatio, sexual penetration with an object, or any act deemed for sexual gratification or sexual arousal, or abuse of either party.

First Degree Sexual Offense

Criminal code ß 3-305 covers sexual offense in the first degree. According to this code, it is illegal to engage in any sexual act with another individual by force, or by intimidation, without the consent of that individual while doing one or more of the following:

• Displaying or employing a dangerous weapon or other object the victim believes to be a dangerous weapon
• Disfiguring, strangling, suffocating or otherwise inflicting serious physical injury to the victim or another individual in commission of the crime
• Threatening to kidnap, seriously injure, disfigure, strangle, suffocate or kill the victim
• Committing the crime with help from another individual
• Committing the crime while also committing first, second or third degree burglary

The penalty associated with first degree sexual offense is a felony conviction, as well as up to life in prison. If the victim is under the age of 16, the penalty is a maximum of life in prison with no chance of parole. If the victim is under 13 and the perpetrator is over 18, the penalty is a prison sentence ranging from 25 years to life, again without the possibility of parole.

Second Degree Sexual Offense

Criminal code ß 3-306 covers sexual offense in the second degree. According to this code, it is illegal to engage in sexual acts with another individual by force or via the threat of force without the other individual’s consent, or if one of the following are true:

• The victim is mentally incapacitated, mentally defective or physically helpless, and the offender knows this
• If the victim is under the age of 14, and the offender is at least 4 years older than the victim

The penalties associated with second degree sexual offense include a felony and a prison term of no longer than 20 years. If the victim is younger than 13 and the offender is older than 18, the penalty involves a prison sentence of between 15 years and life.

Third Degree Sexual Offense

Crimes of third degree sexual offense are covered by criminal code ß 3-307, and largely deal with age. While crimes of non-consented sexual contact can be charged as third degree sexual offense rather than first or second degree sexual offense depending on the circumstances of the case, this code is usually invoked for the following circumstances of sex, even if said sex is agreed upon by both parties:

• The victim is younger than 14, and the offender is at least 4 years older than the victim
• The victim is either 14 or 15 years of age, and the offender is 21 years of age or older

The penalty associated with third degree sexual offense is a felony as well as a prison term not to exceed 10 years.

Fourth Degree Sexual Offense

Sexual offense in the fourth degree is covered by Maryland criminal code ß 3-308. According to this code, it is illegal for a person in a position of authority to engage in a sexual act with a minor student. A person in a position of authority is defined as a person who is 21 or older, supervises the minor, and is a full-time employee of a private or public preschool, elementary school or secondary school.

The penalty for sexual offense in the fourth degree is a misdemeanor, as well as a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 1 year in jail. For repeat offenders, the penalty is a fine of up to $1,000 and a jail term not to exceed 3 years.

Attempted Rape or Attempted Sexual Offense

Crimes of attempted rape and attempted sexual offense in the first and second degrees are covered by Maryland criminal codes ß 3-309 through ß 3-312. According to these codes, it is illegal to attempt to commit first degree or second degree rape or sexual offense, even if said attempts don’t lead to vaginal intercourse or sexual contact.

The penalty for attempted first degree rape or sexual offense is a felony, as well as up to life in prison. The penalty for attempted second degree rape or sexual offense is a felony, as well as up to 20 years in prison.

A Sex Offense Lawyer can Help

Sexual offense charges in Maryland must be taken very seriously, as virtually all of them result in felony convictions as well as lengthy prison sentences. If you’re convicted of a rape or sexual offense, you could face life in prison, potentially without the possibility of parole depending on the circumstances of your case. At the same time, many sexual offense charges are highly subjective, and come down to the word of the plaintiff against the word of the defendant. A reputable, licensed Maryland sex offense lawyer will examine the details of your case in order to build the strongest defense possible, one that draws upon every legal resource in order to maximize your chances of having a favorable outcome in court.

Locations

A qualified Maryland sex crimes lawyer is ready to assist you in your local area. To better assist clients, our sex offense lawyers have offices in the following locations throughout the state of Maryland. If you’ve been charged with a sex offense or have questions about the sex offenders registry, a Maryland attorney specializing in sex crimes can help.

Baltimore

1 out of 368 people that currently live in Baltimore, Maryland are convicted sex offenders. Forcible rape comprised 265 violent crimes in 2010, while 2012 is projected at 152. If you are facing charges in Baltimore for a sex crime, it’s vital that you seek the advice of a professional Maryland sex crimes lawyer. An attorney can help you secure reduced charges, and could help you prevent sex offenders registration if you’re convicted.

Bethesda

The rate of sex crimes in Bethesda, Maryland is much lower than the Maryland average, with sex offenders comprising about 1 out of every 29,659 people living in the area. A Maryland defense attorney specializing in sex offenses is especially important in smaller areas when fighting sex offender list registry; names are much more visible when there are fewer to display on sex offense searches in the Bethesda area.

College Park

One out of every 228 College Park, Maryland residents is a registered sex offender, with 90 total living in College Park in August 2011. Violent crimes like forcible rape make up approximately 145 crimes in College Park each year. A Maryland sex crimes lawyer can help you get the best outcome for your case by being familiar with the local legal system.

Columbia

Columbia experiences about 21.8 forcible rapes per 100,000 residents each year, only about 6 below the national average. 1 out of every 2,850 residents of Columbia must register as sex offenders, 34 in 2011. A qualified Maryland sex offense lawyer can help you get reduced charges for sex crimes and prevent registration on the sex offenders’ list.

Montgomery County

All sex crime charges in Montgomery County are serious, with fines, imprisonment, and sex offender list registry as possible sentences. Between 2011 and 2012, there were 64 rapes reported in Montgomery County. If you are facing charges for a sex crime, your local defense attorney can guide you through the legal system to help you get the best possible outcome in your case. If you have been charged with a sex offense in Silver Spring, Potomac or anywhere else in Montgomery County, please contact a Maryland sex crimes lawyer today.

Prince George’s County

Prince George’s County has an estimated population of 871,233, making it one of the largest counties in Maryland. Defense attorneys in Prince George’s County can help fight sex crime charges, especially felony charges that can have a permanent impact on your lifestyle. Forcible rapes were reported 24 times from December 2010 to January 2011 in Prince George’s County, indicative of the yearly average in the area. If you need assistance in Hyattsville, Bowie, Laurel, Greenbelt or anywhere else in the County, please contact us for more information.

Rockville

47 people were forced to register as sex offenders in the Rockville, Maryland in 2011, about 1 out of every 1,321 residents of the city. Rape incidents have declined steadily each year in Rockville, along with the national average. From 2010 to 2011, reported rapes dropped from ten to seven each year.

Other resources:

• Prince William sex crimes lawyer
• DC sex crimes law firm