You never thought it would come to this. The accusation may be a misunderstanding, exaggerated, or false. In Fullerton, CA, a sex crime allegation can put prison, PC 290 registration, and your reputation at risk before a case is even filed. What you do in the first 48 hours matters.
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 Fullerton, CA. We handle everything from investigation to trial.
We're here to help, not to judge. Call (800) 755-5174 or reach out online to get help from your Fullerton, CA, sex crimes lawyer.
President David S. Chesley, Fullerton, CA, criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
The Realities of a Fullerton, CA, Sex Crime Charge
Sex crime charges are serious. They go beyond the typical consequences of a conviction:
- State prison or jail
- Registration as a sex offender
- Frequently, notifications to the public regarding your conviction
- Many collateral consequences
- A federal firearms ban and, in some cases, passport restrictions
Don't wait while the prosecution builds a case against you. Call your Fullerton, CA, sex crimes lawyer and start building your defense now.
Arrested for a Sex Crime in Fullerton, CA? Take These Steps Now
- Avoid contact with the alleged victim — No matter what your intentions are, it's a bad idea. This can hurt your case in the long run.
- Keep quiet during interrogations. Be respectful, but don't answer any questions. Instead, request to speak with your attorney.
- Do not consent to a phone or home search if there isn't a warrant for it and without checking with your Fullerton, CA, sex crimes lawyer first.
- Protect evidence that you have access to. Don't delete texts, photos, apps, location history, or social media — deletion is often argued as consciousness of guilt.
- Share everything you know with your defense attorney: It's important that your lawyer has a full view of the situation.
- Obey all conditions of release — breaking these can hurt your case.
- Talk to a professional for help handling the stress — counseling can help give you clarity on how to move forward.
Together with your Fullerton, CA, sex charge defense attorney, you can set your case up for a positive outcome.
Charges a Fullerton, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Can Help You Fight
Rape and Sexual Assault
Rape is arguably the most serious sex crime charge you can face in Fullerton, CA. A conviction can send you to prison for years, and permanently put you on the sex offender registry. "Sexual assault" is not one statute — it often means rape, sexual battery (PC § 243.4), nonconsensual oral copulation (PC § 287), sodomy (PC § 286), or penetration with a foreign object (PC § 289).
Spousal rape under former PC § 262 was repealed in 2021. As of January 1, 2026, SB 258 also removed the remaining spouse-capacity carve-out in PC § 261. Rape inside a marriage is charged like rape between any other two people.
Child Sex Crimes
There are a wide range of potential child sex crime accusations in California, including lewd acts with a child, sexual abuse, and possession of child pornography. California has no general "Romeo and Juliet" defense. Age, force, and the specific code section drive both prison exposure and the registration tier.
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 Fullerton, CA, child sex crimes lawyer before taking a plea or establishing a defense.
Online and Digital Sex Crimes
Online and digital sex crimes can be particularly complicated in California. For example, sexting with a minor is illegal, even if the supposed minor turned out to be an adult who was pretending. This is because the relevant statute (PC § 288.2) applies if the alleged offender believed they were talking to a minor, even if that wasn't true. Sexting can also overlap with stalking charges.
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.
Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking is a subcategory of human trafficking under California law. Human trafficking is defined as depriving someone of their freedom and forcing them into labor — sex trafficking is the informal name for when that labor involves a sexual nature (such as pimping or creating child pornography). In particular, sex trafficking involving children is treated harshly and can result in life imprisonment in some circumstances. Some people may think that trafficking charges only happen (or apply) to immigrants, but the alleged victim can be of any nationality.
Related Charges
In Fullerton, CA, we also defend indecent exposure (PC § 314), lewd conduct in public (PC § 647(a)), failure to register (PC § 290.018), prostitution and solicitation (PC § 647(b)), loitering with intent to commit prostitution (PC § 653.22), pimping/pandering (PC §§ 266h, 266i), 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.
Sex Crime Charges Our Lawyers Defend
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
Fullerton, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Guidance at Every Stage of Your Case
Pre-filing and investigation. If you are being investigated but not yet charged in Fullerton, CA court, we try to control contact with police, preserve favorable evidence, and, when appropriate, present a package that argues against filing.
Discovery and forensics. We don't just let the district attorney build a case against you — we reexamine any evidence and look for inconsistencies or other weaknesses. We can also reach out to expert witnesses and forensic labs to review everything and look for alternatives to the state's narrative.
Motions. Suppression. Motions can do many things for your case. One of the first motions we often file is a motion for bail reduction. This can help you secure pretrial release. After that, we'll frequently follow with a motion to suppress evidence and/or a motion to dismiss charges.
Negotiation. A sex crime charge defense isn't just about avoiding incarceration; it's about staying off of the sex offender registry. A plea deal can be a compromise that protects your reputation.
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.
Top 5 Fullerton, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Qualitities
- Knowledge of how to handle the exact charges against you
- Relationships in Fullerton, CA, courts
- Honesty and transparency when discussing your case
- A positive reputation with former clients
- A record of results in Fullerton, CA, courts — not just a list of charges
Penalties (General Statutory Ranges)
| 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 |
Enhancements (great bodily injury, weapon use, multiple victims, age of the complaining witness, prior strikes) change these numbers. . However, a jail sentence is often over long before the other main consequences of a sex crime conviction: Being placed on the sex offender registry.
California's Three-Tier Sex Offender Registry System
Not every sex crime in California requires a person to register as a sex offender (prostitution, for example, normally does not). When it is required, though, it typically falls into one of the below three categories:
- Tier 1 — normally 10 years, but some minors will only be put on the registry for 5 years. Examples: most misdemeanor sex offenses fall into this tier, and some non-violent felony offenses.
- Tier 2 — 20 years for adults, but 10 years for some juveniles. Examples: incest, some rape cases, and penetration with a foreign object.
- Tier 3 — lifetime for the most serious offenses (e.g., sex trafficking of a child, sodomy by force, forcible rape) and certain repeat or high-risk designations.
Rather than automatically being removed after a time period, it's on the individual to request removal after their time is up. Your sex crimes attorney can help you petition for removal from the sex offender registery.
Effective Defenses Versus Sex Crime Charges in Fullerton, CA
- Consent can be a powerful defense and/or mitigating factor — so long as the alleged victim had the capacity to give it
- 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
- Identity / alibi
- Lack of evidence — when the prosecution fails to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, your attorney can use that to sway the jury
- Illegally acquired evidence
- Unreliable child forensic interviews
- Entrapment, when law enforcement goes too far in convincing the alleged offender
- Technical issues with the way the case was filed
This isn't just about defense strategies; this is about telling your side of the story in a convincing way, whether it's too a district attorney, a judge, or a jury.
Prior 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) — Client Avoided Jail and Sex Offender Registration; Dismissal Available After Probation. 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) — Facing 25 Years to Life, All Charges Dismissed Before Trial. Our client came to us after being accused of rape. They were present at an event where two other individuals (charged separately) had assaulted a woman, but our client took no part in it. We presented our defense in the preliminary hearing and the case was dismissed. 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. By evaluating the evidence and presenting a narrative of consent, our lawyers secured a deal that released our client, crediting them for time served, 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) — Protected Client Against Lifetime Imprisonment and Sex Offender Registration. Our client was being held without bail and could have been sent to prison for life, if convicted. We examined the prosecution's evidence and were able to demonstrate to the court that the accusation was false, securing a dismissal. 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. Our sex crime defense attorneys will evaluate your case based on its own merits and help you in finding the best outcome for your unique situation.
Frequently Asked Questions for Sex Crimes in Fullerton, CA
Is it still important to hire an attorney if you're innocent?
Absolutely — with an attorney on your side, you can ensure that the state listens to your side of the story, and challenge any misconceptions about the evidence.
How will a sex crime conviction in Fullerton, CA, affect immigration status?
To protect your immigration status, you need to take these charges seriously. A conviction can be considered an aggravated felony or crime of moral turpitude, depending on the statute.
Does California have a law against sexting?
The main way that sexting can get you in legal trouble in California is if it involves a minor — that is always illegal. It can also be illegal between two adults, if either the recipient does not consent, or if it involves images of a person who did not consent.
Will I be put on the sex offender registry if I'm convicted of statutory rape?
For many PC § 261.5(c) and (d) offenses committed on or after January 1, 2026, yes — Tier 1 — unless the 10-year age-gap exception applies. The court may still order PC § 290.006 registration. Get the dates and ages reviewed before you plead.
Does California require sex offenders to inform their neighbors?
No — sex offenders themselves are not required to inform their neighbors, just register with local law enforcement. Law enforcement may decide to make a public announcement, though.
Accused of a Sex Crime? Call Now
This isn't a time to settle for second best. You need a strong, experienced criminal defense attorney to build your defense. You need the Law Offices of David S. Chesley.
Our phone lines are open 24/7. If you need a sex crimes lawyer in Fullerton, CA, call now at (800) 755-5174 or reach out online. We're here to help.
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