Unlawful Sex With Minor
Statutory rape is unlawful sexual conduct as identified by statute, it is not rape in the sense that the parties were not consenting, although that could also be part of the offense. In Utah the term statutory rape is never used by the legislature but other instead a number of different terms have been used to establish a number of different offenses, all relating to statutory rape. Some of these offenses mentioned are “unlawful sexual activity with a minor,” sexual abuse of a minor,” and “unlawful sexual activity with a 16 or 17 year old.” With all these different statute and the multiple ways each can be offended this area of law can be very fact intensive and very confusing. As with all sex crimes the penalties involved with statutory rape can be sever and can cause lifelong requirements to register as a sex offender. With all of this at stake it is important to have an experienced attorney at your signed defending your best interest.
Types of Statutory Rape in Utah
The different offenses in Utah that could be defined as statutory rape are distinguished by the age of the parties and what type of sexual activity occurred. The age of the parties is usually separated into whether or not the victim was 14 or 15 or if the victim was 16 or 17. As for types of sexual conduct the offenses are split between a lesser offense involving inappropriate touching and a more grievous offense involving sexual intercourse, oral stimulation, or object penetration. The charges involved with theses offenses can be very serious and involve very severe penalties. Contact an attorney at St. George Criminal Defense to make sure you are protected.
St. George Statutory Rape Defense
Statutory rape charges are serious offenses, although both parties may have consented to the relationship the charged party could still be convicted and face jail time and sex offender registry requirements. With Utah’s complex laws and the individual liberties at stake it is imperative to have an attorney who knows the law and how to fight for you. The attorneys at St. George Criminal Defense are dedicated to serving their clients and are experienced in defending sex crimes. Call us today for a free consultation.