Payment PlansLos Angeles Sex Crimes Lawyer
A sex crime accusation can become serious before formal charges are ever filed. Police may collect statements, review messages, request access to phones or online accounts, interview witnesses, or prepare a search warrant while you are still trying to understand what you have been accused of.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley’s Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers represent people facing allegations involving rape, sexual battery, offenses involving minors, internet sex crimes, prostitution, indecent exposure, sex offender registration, and other sex-related offenses throughout Los Angeles.
If you have been arrested or told you are under investigation, you don't have to wait for a court date to start protecting yourself. Call (800) 755-5174 or contact our office online for a free consultation.
Reviewed by Attorney David S. Chesley, September 2026. California criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
Los Angeles Sex Crimes Lawyer: Key Points
- If you are accused of a sex crime, avoid contacting the accuser, preserve digital evidence, do not delete communications, and speak with a defense lawyer before answering investigators’ questions.
- California sex crimes include rape, sexual battery, offenses involving minors, internet and image-based offenses, prostitution-related crimes, and sex offender registration violations.
- Different statutes apply depending on the alleged conduct, consent, ages involved, use of force or threats, and whether digital communications or images are part of the case.
- Investigations may involve phones, messages, social media, dating apps, location data, photos, videos, witness statements, and forensic evidence.
- Prosecutors must prove the specific elements of the charged offense, and penalties vary widely depending on the crime, age of the alleged victim, use of force, prior convictions, and other circumstances.
- Some convictions require sex offender registration, and possible defenses include consent where legally relevant, false allegations, mistaken identity or account attribution, lack of intent, unlawful searches, and insufficient evidence.
What Should You Do If You Are Accused of a Sex Crime?
The early stages of a sex crime investigation can shape what happens later. A few practical steps can help prevent an already difficult situation from becoming worse.
- Do not contact the person making the accusation. Trying to explain, apologize, argue, or persuade someone to change their story can create additional problems and may violate a protective or no-contact order.
- Do not delete messages, photos, emails, social media accounts, or other digital information. Something that seems damaging out of context may also contain information your lawyer needs.
- Don’t speak to investigators without a sex crimes defense lawyer. If police want to interview you about the accusation, speak with an attorney before deciding whether to answer questions.
- Preserve your side of the evidence. Save text messages, app conversations, photos, location records, receipts, witness names, and anything else that may help establish what happened.
- Write down the timeline. Dates, locations, conversations, prior relationships, and events leading up to an accusation can become harder to remember as time passes.
- Tell your attorney about the difficult facts too. Your lawyer is in a much better position to respond to damaging evidence when they know about it before the prosecution introduces it.
What Is Considered a Sex Crime in California?
“Sex crime” is a broad category. California does not have one criminal statute covering every sexual offense.
Instead, different laws apply depending on factors such as the type of sexual conduct alleged, whether there was consent, the ages of the people involved, whether force or threats were allegedly used, and whether the case involves digital images or communications.
Sex Crime Charges We Defend
Sexual Assault and Contact
- Rape
- Sexual Assault
- Sexual Battery
- Oral Copulation by Force
- Penetration by Force
- Sodomy by Force
Offenses Involving Minors
- Child Molestation
- Lewd Acts With a Minor
- Sex With a Minor / Statutory Rape
- Annoying or Molesting a Child
- Arranging a Meeting With a Minor
- Enticing a Minor for Lewd Purposes
Internet and Image-Based Offenses
Other Sex-Related Offenses
- Indecent Exposure
- Lewd Conduct in Public
- Prostitution
- Solicitation of Prostitution
- Pimping and Pandering
- Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
Common Sex Crime Charges in California
Rape Under Penal Code § 261
California Penal Code § 261 defines rape as sexual intercourse occurring under specific circumstances in which legal consent is absent. The statute covers situations involving force, violence, duress or fear, as well as cases involving intoxication, unconsciousness, certain disabilities affecting the ability to consent, and specified forms of deception or threats.
Rape is separate from other offenses involving oral copulation, sodomy, sexual penetration, or sexual touching, which are governed by different statutes.
Sexual Battery Under Penal Code § 243.4
California’s sexual battery law, Penal Code § 243.4, covers certain unwanted touching of an intimate part for sexual arousal, gratification, or abuse. Different subdivisions apply depending on circumstances such as restraint, medical incapacity, and the nature of the touching. Some violations are misdemeanors, while others can be prosecuted as felonies.
Sex With a Minor Under Penal Code § 261.5
Under Penal Code § 261.5, unlawful sexual intercourse generally means sexual intercourse with a person under 18 who is not the spouse of the accused. The possible charge depends partly on the age difference between the two people.
When the age difference is no more than three years, the offense is a misdemeanor. When the minor is more than three years younger, the offense can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or felony. A person age 21 or older accused of intercourse with someone under 16 faces a separate sentencing provision.
Lewd Acts With a Child Under Penal Code § 288
Penal Code § 288 applies to certain lewd or lascivious acts involving minors.
For a child under 14, prosecutors generally must establish a willful lewd act committed with the intent of arousing or gratifying sexual desires. The basic offense carries three, six, or eight years in state prison. When force, violence, duress, menace, or fear is involved, the sentencing range can increase to five, eight, or ten years.
Child Pornography and Digital Images
California Penal Code § 311.11 addresses knowing possession or control of prohibited sexual material involving or depicting minors.
California’s current law expressly includes certain digitally altered and artificial-intelligence-generated material, making these cases increasingly dependent on technical evidence about how an image was created, obtained, stored, and attributed to a particular person.
How Sex Crime Investigations Begin
Sex crime cases do not always begin with an arrest.
An investigation may start with a report from an alleged victim, parent, school, medical professional, online platform, or another law enforcement agency. Other cases begin through undercover operations or communications with an officer posing as a minor.
Police may investigate:
- Text messages and social media conversations
- Dating apps and messaging platforms
- Phones, computers, tablets, and cloud accounts
- Photos and videos
- Location records
- 911 calls
- Medical or forensic evidence
- Witness statements
- Search histories and account activity
Digital evidence can be especially important because the existence of a message or file does not necessarily answer who created it, who sent it, who had access to an account, or what surrounding communications show.
What Do Prosecutors Have to Prove?
The required elements depend on the charge.
| Charge | Important Issues |
|---|---|
| Rape, PC § 261 | Whether intercourse occurred under one of the circumstances defined by the statute, including force, fear, intoxication, unconsciousness, or another legally recognized lack of consent |
| Sexual Battery, PC § 243.4 | Whether prohibited intimate touching occurred, whether it was against the person’s will, and whether the required sexual purpose and other circumstances were present |
| Statutory Rape, PC § 261.5 | The ages of the parties and whether unlawful sexual intercourse occurred |
| Lewd Act With a Child, PC § 288 | The child’s age, the alleged act, and the required sexual intent |
| Arranging a Meeting With a Minor, PC § 288.4 | Whether a meeting was arranged for one of the prohibited purposes and, for the more serious offense, whether the accused went to the meeting location |
| CSAM Possession, PC § 311.11 | Knowledge, possession or control, the nature of the material, and whether the material meets the statutory definition |
For example, merely communicating with someone believed to be a minor does not automatically establish every online sex offense. California statutes such as Penal Code § 288.4 require prosecutors to prove additional facts concerning the purpose and conduct involved.
Penalties for Sex Crimes in California
Sentencing varies dramatically depending on the specific offense, victim’s age, use of force, prior convictions, and other circumstances.
| Charge | Possible Penalties |
|---|---|
| Rape, PC § 261 | Generally 3, 6, or 8 years in state prison; higher ranges apply to certain offenses involving minors |
| Sexual Battery, PC § 243.4 | Misdemeanor forms can carry up to 6 months in county jail; specified forms can carry up to 1 year in county jail or 2, 3, or 4 years in state prison |
| Statutory Rape, PC § 261.5 | May be a misdemeanor or felony depending largely on age differences; certain cases involving a defendant 21+ and a minor under 16 carry 2, 3, or 4 years if prosecuted as a felony |
| Lewd Act With a Child Under 14, PC § 288(a) | 3, 6, or 8 years; force cases under § 288(b) carry 5, 8, or 10 years |
| Arranging a Meeting With a Minor, PC § 288.4 | Up to 1 year in county jail for arranging the meeting; going to the arranged meeting can carry 2, 3, or 4 years |
| Annoying or Molesting a Child, PC § 647.6 | Generally up to 1 year in county jail and/or a fine up to $5,000; qualifying prior convictions can increase the punishment |
| Child Pornography / CSAM, PC § 311.11 | County jail or state prison exposure, with increased sentencing for specified prior convictions or aggravating circumstances |
The rape sentencing ranges come from Penal Code § 264, while the other ranges are set out in the individual statutes.
Will You Have to Register as a Sex Offender?
California uses a three-tier system under the Sex Offender Registration Act, Penal Code § 290:
- Tier One: minimum 10 years
- Tier Two: minimum 20 years
- Tier Three: lifetime registration
The applicable tier depends on the conviction and other statutory factors.
The California Department of Justice maintains additional information through its California Sex Offender Registry.
Defenses to Sex Crime Charges
The defenses available depend on what prosecutors have charged and the evidence behind it.
Consent: In cases where consent is legally relevant, communications, witness testimony, the history between the parties, and conduct before and after the alleged event may become important.
False or exaggerated allegations: The defense can compare the accusation with earlier statements, digital communications, witnesses, physical evidence, and the timeline.
Mistaken identity or account attribution: Online investigations can raise questions about who controlled a device, account, IP address, cloud account, or stored file.
Lack of required intent: Several California sex offenses require prosecutors to establish a specific intent or purpose in addition to the alleged conduct.
Unlawful search or seizure: Sex crime investigations frequently involve phones, computers, residences, or online accounts. The defense can examine how police obtained the evidence and whether a warrant or another legal basis supported the search.
Insufficient evidence: Ultimately, prosecutors must prove every required element beyond a reasonable doubt.
How a Los Angeles Sex Crimes Lawyer Can Help
An effective defense begins well before trial.
Depending on the case, our attorneys can review police reports, preserve favorable evidence, examine digital records, obtain discovery, investigate witnesses, challenge searches, compare inconsistent statements, analyze forensic evidence, negotiate with prosecutors, and prepare the case for trial.
If charges have not yet been filed, early representation may also allow an attorney to communicate with investigators and evaluate whether to present evidence before the prosecutor makes a filing decision.
The normal criminal process in California courts involves charging, arraignment, pretrial discovery and motions, trial when necessary, and sentencing following a conviction or guilty plea. Felony cases generally also involve a preliminary hearing.
Sex Crime Case Results
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley has handled cases involving serious sex crime allegations.
We have handled sex crime cases with extremely serious consequences. In one case involving child molestation and sodomy allegations, our client was facing life in prison. After we challenged the accusations as fabricated, the preliminary hearing dismissed the charges. We have also had rape charges dismissed and resolved statutory rape cases without sex offender registration. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Los Angeles Sex Crimes FAQs
Does every sex crime require sex offender registration?
No. Whether registration applies and which tier applies depends on the specific conviction and other circumstances. California Penal Code § 290 currently provides registration periods of 10 years, 20 years, or life.
Can a sex crime be charged as a misdemeanor?
Yes. Some offenses are misdemeanors, while others may be filed as either misdemeanors or felonies depending on the statute and facts. Sexual battery and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor are examples where the classification can vary.
Can police search my phone?
Police searches of phones and digital accounts can raise Fourth Amendment and warrant issues. If investigators have already searched or seized a device, your attorney can review how they obtained the evidence and whether there are grounds to challenge it.
Do I need a lawyer if I'm under investigation for a sex crime in Los Angeles?
Yes. You do not need to wait for an arrest or formal charges to get legal help — in fact, the investigation stage is often when a lawyer can do the most good. Before charges are filed, an attorney can communicate with investigators on your behalf, advise you on whether to answer questions, help preserve evidence that supports your side, and in some cases present information to the prosecutor before a filing decision is made. Talking to investigators without a lawyer, even informally, can create statements that are difficult to walk back later.
What happens after I am charged?
At arraignment, the court advises the defendant of the charges and rights and asks for a plea. The case can then move through discovery, negotiations, motions and, in felony cases, a preliminary hearing before trial.
What happens if I'm falsely accused of rape in California?
A false accusation still has to be treated seriously and addressed with a real defense strategy, not just a denial. A defense investigation typically looks at the accuser's prior statements, digital communications, witness accounts, physical or forensic evidence, timeline inconsistencies, and any motive to fabricate or exaggerate the claim. Because rape charges under Penal Code § 261 carry significant prison exposure, an attorney will often work to resolve unsupported allegations as early as possible — including at the preliminary hearing stage — rather than waiting until trial.
California and Los Angeles Sex Crime Resources
California Laws
- Penal Code § 261: Rape
- Penal Code § 243.4: Sexual Battery
- Penal Code § 261.5: Unlawful Sexual Intercourse With a Minor
- Penal Code § 288: Lewd Acts With a Child
- Penal Code § 288.4: Arranging a Meeting With a Minor
- Penal Code § 311.11: Child Sexual Abuse Material
- Penal Code § 647.6: Annoying or Molesting a Child
- Penal Code § 290: Sex Offender Registration
Court and State Resources
- Los Angeles Superior Court Criminal Division
- California Courts Criminal Case Guide
- California Sex Offender Registry
Los Angeles County Courthouses We Appear In
| Courthouse | Address | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | lacourt.org |
| Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center | 210 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | lacourt.org |
| Airport Courthouse | 11701 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045 | lacourt.org |
| Van Nuys Courthouse East | 6230 Sylmar Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91401 | lacourt.org |
| Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse (Long Beach) | 275 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802 | lacourt.org |
| Compton Courthouse | 200 W. Compton Blvd., Compton, CA 90220 | lacourt.org |
| Pasadena Courthouse | 300 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91101 | lacourt.ca.gov |
| Burbank Courthouse | 300 E. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA 91502 | lacourt.org |
| Inglewood Courthouse | One Regent St., Inglewood, CA 90301 | lacourt.org |
| Alhambra Courthouse | 150 W. Commonwealth Ave., Alhambra, CA 91801 | lacourt.org |
Neighborhoods and Cities We Serve
Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Culver City, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Woodland Hills and the San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Long Beach, Torrance, Compton, Inglewood, Whittier, Pomona, and Alhambra.
Los Angeles Offices:
Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc.
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys and DUI Lawyers
445 South Figueroa Street
Suite 2700
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 341-4427
Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc.
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorneys and DUI Lawyers
1933 S Broadway Suite 1100,
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 908-2262
Contact a Los Angeles Sex Crimes Lawyer Today
If you are being investigated or have already been charged with a sex crime in Los Angeles, find out exactly what police and prosecutors are alleging before making decisions about your case.
Preserve your evidence, follow any court orders, and speak with an attorney about the charge, possible penalties, registration consequences, and available defenses.
Call the Law Offices of David S. Chesley at (800) 755-5174 or contact us online for a free consultation.
