You need a sex crimes lawyer in Carson, CA. Maybe it was a rough breakup that led to a false accusation. Maybe it was a misunderstanding that's being blown out of proportion. Or maybe you made a mistake and are looking for a way forward.
You need The Law Offices of David S. Chesley. Our criminal defense attorneys have over 50 years of combined courtroom experience and know how to defend against sex crimes in Carson, CA. When you call us, you're getting a team that's ready to help, whatever you need.
Don't give up before speaking to one of our attorneys. Call (800) 755-5174 or reach out online to speak with a sex crimes lawyer in Carson, CA, about your charges.
President David S. Chesley, Carson, CA, criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
Why You Need to Treat Sex Crime Charges Seriously in Carson, CA
Carson, CA treats sex crime accusations very seriously. Without an experienced sex crimes attorney, you could be facing:
- State prison or jail
- Years (or even a lifetime) on the sex offender registry
- Public Megan's Law listing in many cases
- Employment, licensing, housing, custody, and immigration consequences
- Electronic monitoring
Don't wait while the prosecution builds a case against you. Call your Carson, CA, sex crimes lawyer and start building your defense now.
How to Handle Carson, CA, Sex Crime Accusations
- Don't talk to the person accusing you — No matter what your intentions are, it's a bad idea. Doing so often just looks like intimidating the alleged victim.
- Keep quiet during interrogations. Respectfully request to speak with your attorney.
- Don't share your phone or let investigators access your property without a warrant and without checking with your Carson, CA, sex crimes lawyer first.
- Save any evidence. Don't delete anything, as this can be twisted as hiding evidence.
- Tell your Carson, CA, sex crimes defense attorney everything: Without a full picture, they won't be able to build a complete defense.
- Obey court orders — failing to do so can send you to jail.
- Get counselling/mental health support — counseling can help give you clarity on how to move forward.
Together with your Carson, CA, sex charge defense attorney, you can set your case up for a positive outcome.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley Defends All of the Below Sex Crime Charges in Carson, CA
Rape and Sexual Assault
It's hard to think of a crime that is publicly regarded as worse than rape in Carson, CA. A conviction means up to 8 years in prison, as well as sex offender registration.
Sexual assault (or sexual abuse) charges are often used as a catch-all that can include rape and other sexual crimes, most notably sexual battery. Sexual battery is defined in its own statute as the touching of another person's intimate parts without their consent, while the alleged victim was restrained. This touching must have been done for sexual purposes.
In the past, California has separate laws for rape between spouses versus general rape. However, this was repealed and does not apply today.
Child Sex Crimes
Common charges include lewd acts with a child (PC § 288), continuous sexual abuse (PC § 288.5), annoying or molesting a child (PC § 647.6), oral copulation or penetration involving a minor, and enticing a minor (PC § 288.3) or arranging a meeting with a minor (PC § 288.4). Some child sex crimes don't even have to involve actually abusing a child — California's enticing a minor statute makes it a crime just to try and presuade a child into engaging in sexual conduct, whether or not they actually do.
Statutory Rape
In California court, statutory rape is often referred to as "unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor." These allegations state that a person had sex with someone under the age of 18. This technically makes it illegal for two minors to have sex with each other, but most of the time, these allegations are used in cases where an adult supposedly had sex with a minor. Common defenses include demonstrating an honest belief that the adult believed the minor was over the age of 18 or that sexual intercourse did not occur (though the latter defense can still result in other child sex crime charges). Talk with your Carson, CA, child sex crimes lawyer before taking a plea or establishing a defense.
Online and Digital Sex Crimes
Internet sex crimes vary widely in nature. Some overlap with child sex crimes (the possession, production, or distribution of child pornography, for example), while others are crimes even if the conduct only involved adults (posting of revenge porn, for example). Defenses often hinge on whether or not the alleged offender was the one to break the law, or if another person was using their computer/profile.
Deepfake Sexual Content
Deepfake sexual content is not the loophole that some people think it is. California law has made it illegal to share photorealistic, intimate images of an identifiable person, even if they are artificial or AI-generated. A first conviction is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, while repeat convictions can be punished with up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Prostitution
Prostitution has a long history in the United States, but is currently illegal in California. The state defines prostitution as exchanging a sexual act for something of value, which is often (but not always) money. The same law covers both acting as a prostitute and soliciting a prostitute, and the penalties include up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Additionally, sentence enhancements can add mandatory minimums of jail time and/or the suspension of your driver's license.
Related Charges
In Carson, CA, we also defend indecent exposure (PC § 314), lewd conduct in public (PC § 647(a)), failure to register (PC § 290.018), human trafficking (PC § 236.1), incest (PC § 285), aggravated sexual assault of a child (PC § 269), and assault with intent to commit a sex offense (PC § 220). Those pages are linked from the list below.
Charges We Handle
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child · AI-Generated / Deepfake Sexual Content · Annoying or Molesting a Child · Arranging a Meeting With a Minor · Assault with Intent to Commit a Sex Offense · Child Molestation (PC 288) · Child Pornography · Enticing a Minor · Failure to Register · Human Trafficking (Sex Trafficking) · Incest · Indecent Exposure · Lewd Acts · Lewd Conduct in Public · Loitering to Commit Prostitution · Oral Copulation by Force · Oral Copulation or Sodomy With a Minor · Penetration by Force · Pimping and Pandering · Prostitution / Solicitation · Rape · Revenge Porn · Sex With a Minor / Statutory Rape · Sexting Involving Minors · Sexual Abuse · Sexual Assault · Sexual Battery · Sodomy by Force
How a Sex Crimes Lawyer in Carson, CA
Pre-filing and investigation. The fight for your freedom doesn't begin when charges are filed — it begins as soon as the authorities start to look at you. These early days are crucial for setting your case up for success — having an expert sex crimes lawyer can help you preserve exculpatory evidence and maybe even negate charges from being filed in the first place.
Discovery and forensics. We obtain police reports, body-cam footage, SART/rape-kit notes, pretext-call recordings, phones, cloud accounts, and expert review of DNA, toxicology, and digital media. Many cases turn on delayed disclosure, inconsistent statements, suggestive interviewing of children, or missing intent.
Motions. Suppression. If we find that any of the state's evidence was wrongfully obtained, we will file a motion to suppress it, removing it from the case against you. And if their case is sufficiently weakened, we'll follow up with a motion to dismiss the charges against you.
Negotiation. Since prosecutors have large caseloads, they often prefer to settle through a plea deal rather than go to trial. The right sex charges defense attorney can leverage this to their advantage and find a good deal that protects your record.
Trial and sentencing. Not every plea deal offered is acceptable. If we can't find an option that works for you, we're prepared to fight in court for your freedom. Even if the outcome at trial isn't what you were hoping for, we'll advocate for lenient sentencing.
What to Look for in Your Carson, CA Sex Crimes Lawyer
- Knowledge of how to handle the exact charges against you
- Dedication to Connections with prosecutors and judges in Carson
- Ideas for how to approach defense in your case
- Availability and a single point of contact
- A person-centered approach
Carson, CA, Sex Crime Penalties: What You're Facing
| Charge | Statute | Level | Typical Custody Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rape | PC § 261 | Felony | 3, 6, or 8 years state prison; fine up to $10,000 |
| Statutory Rape | PC § 261.5 | Misd. or wobbler | Up to 1 year jail, or 16 months–4 years (facts-dependent) |
| Sexual Battery | PC § 243.4 | Misd. or felony | Up to 6 months jail, or 2, 3, or 4 years prison |
| Lewd Act With a Child Under 14 | PC § 288(a) | Felony | 3, 6, or 8 years (higher if force or younger child) |
| Arranging a Meeting With a Minor | PC § 288.4 | Wobbler | Up to 1 year jail, or 2, 3, or 4 years prison |
| Indecent Exposure | PC § 314 | Misd. or felony | Up to 1 year, or 16 months–3 years |
| Child Pornography Possession | PC § 311.11 | Wobbler / felony | Jail, or 16 months–3+ years; registration often Tier 3 if felony |
| Prostitution / Solicitation | PC § 647(b) | Misdemeanor | Up to 6 months jail; fine up to $1,000 |
While the majority of sex crime cases may follow these guidelines, sentencing enhancements can greatly alter the end punishment. Your case needs to be evaluated for its unique qualities. If convicted of rape, you may also be required to pay a fine.
Sex Offender Registry Tiers in California
California uses a three-tier system (SB 384, in effect since 2021):
- Tier 1 — typically for a 10-year term, or 5 years for most juvenile cases. Examples: indecent exposure (misdemeanor) and sexual battery (misdemeanor).
- Tier 2 — 20 years for adults, but 10 years for some juveniles. Examples: repeated annoying of a child, some sodomy cases, and some rape cases.
- Tier 3 — lifetime for the most serious offenses (e.g., forcible rape, many child-victim force cases, many felony child pornography convictions) and certain repeat or high-risk designations.
Life on the sex offender registry is difficult — the public is able to look up your information, and it can impact employment opportunities, and leave lasting impacts long after a prison sentence. Talk to a sex crimes attorney to get help once you're eligible for removal.
Effective Defenses Versus Sex Crime Charges in Carson, CA
- Consent can be a powerful defense and/or mitigating factor — so long as the alleged victim had the capacity to give it
- In some cases, mistakes about the age of the other person can be used as a defense. This is most applicable in statutory or other minor-related cases, and isn't applicable in some others
- False or motivated accusation False accusations — sometimes, it can be just as important to show why the person is making the accusation as it is to show your innocence. If an ulterior motive is revealed, this can be a powerful part of a defense startegy
- Misidentification — unfortunately, misidentification can result in false accusations, even if the alleged victim is not acting maliciously
- Lack of evidence — you have the presumption of innocence on your side
- Illegally acquired evidence
- Unreliable child forensic interviews
- Entrapment when the supposed offender did not have a predisposition towards the crime, and the government coerced them into it
- Charges were filed outside of the statute of limitations
When you have the right defense strategy and the right defense attorney on your side, you're maximizing your chances of a positive outcome.
Past Sex Offense Case Results
- Soliciting a Prostitute (PC § 647(b)) and Loitering with Intent to Commit Prostitution (PC § 653.22) — All Charges Dismissed. Our client was accused of soliciting a prostitute who was actually a police officer. We negotiated a diversionary program and the dismissal of all charges.
- Statutory Rape (PC § 261.5) — Protected Client From Jail, Sex Offender Registry, and Record. Our client was accused of statutory rape, a wobbler offense that could have resulted in incarceration, followed by a lifetime on the sex offender registry. Through skillful negotiation, we secured a deal that avoided prison, avoided the sex offender registry, and presented the possibility of all changes of being dismissed, after a probation period..
- Rape (PC § 261) — Felony Accusation, All Charges Dismissed at Preliminary Hearing. The client was present at a gathering where two other individuals were separately accused of assaulting a woman; the client had no involvement in the alleged conduct. We demonstrated the client's lack of involvement, and the court dismissed all charges at the preliminary hearing. This also protected our client's reputation, as no records of the case are public.
- Kidnapping (PC § 207) and Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a Minor (PC § 261.5) — Facing 6 Years State Prison, No Jail Time, No Sex Offender Registration. Using a consent-based defense, we protected our client from an extended jail sentence and secured a favorable outcome, and our resolution also kept our client off of the California sex offender registry.
- Child Molestation (PC § 288) and Sodomy with a Child Under 10 (PC § 288.7) — Defense Secured Dismissal of Charges, Avoiding Prison and Sex Offender Registration. A conviction of these charges would have sent our client to prison for life, along with permanent sex offender registration. We demonstrated that the allegations had been fabricated, and the court dismissed all charges at the preliminary hearing. Our client's reputation is also protected, as there are no public records of this case.
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. If you have questions about realistic outcomes for your case, talk to one of our Carson, CA, sex crime lawyers today.
Frequently Asked Questions for Sex Allegations in Carson, CA
If I didn't do it, should I still contact a sex crimes lawyer?
Yes — unfortunately, the police can make mistakes in their investigations and end up charging the wrong person. Your freedom and rights deserve professional protection.
Will a sex crime in Carson, CA, affect immigration status?
Convictions of sex crimes can be harmful to your immigration status, and potentially lead to deportation. Talk to a sex crimes defense lawyer who can also act as your immigration attorney and help you protect your status.
Does statutory rape require registration now?
Generally speaking, alleged statutory rape offenses that occured on or after January 1, 2026, require Tier 1 registration is required (with some nuance regarding age gap). If the alleged offense occurred prior to this, there is more discretion left up to the court.
How fast should I call?
Before you speak to police if you can. The sooner you bring in an expert Carson, CA, sex crimes lawyer, the better your chances of a positive outcome.
Do You Need a Sex Crimes Lawyer in Carson, CA? Call David Chesley
There isn't a guaranteed way to beat these charges, but with professional help, you'll get guidance on how to maximize your chances.
We are here to help — call (800) 755-5174 or contact us online for a no-strings attached consultation.
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