You never thought it would come to this. The accusation may be a misunderstanding, exaggerated, or false. In Moorpark, 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.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley defends people accused of sex crimes in Moorpark, CA — with offices across Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties) as well as Central and Northern California (Kern, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Fresno, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, Sacramento, Sonoma, Alameda, San Joaquin, and San Francisco counties, and beyond). Our goal is to find the best outcome for you, whatever that looks like for your situation.
We're here to help, not to judge. Call (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online to get help from your Moorpark, CA, sex crimes lawyer.
Attorney David S. Chesley, Moorpark, CA, criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
The Realities of a Moorpark, CA, Sex Crime Charge
A sex crime charge is not a typical misdemeanor or even a typical felony. If convicted, you're facing:
- Months or even years behind bars
- Years (or even a lifetime) on the sex offender registry
- Public labelling as a sex offender
- Family, job, and immigration challenges
- Electronic monitoring
Trying to "clear it up" with police, the accuser, or a school or Title IX office almost always makes the file worse. Get help from someone who will protect your rights.
How to Handle Moorpark, CA, Sex Crime Accusations
- Don't talk to the person accusing you — for any reason whatsoever. This can hurt your case in the long run.
- Don't speak without an attorney present. Respectfully request to speak with your attorney.
- Don't give permission to search your property without a warrant and if you don't have a defense attorney present.
- Protect evidence that you have access to. Trying to delete or hide evidence can end up making you look more guilty.
- Tell your Moorpark, CA, sex crimes defense attorney everything: The more your attorney knows, the better defense they can build.
- If given bail conditions, take every effort to adhere to them (stay-away orders, no-contact, travel, devices).
- Get help handling the pressure — counseling can help give you clarity on how to move forward.
Above all of the above, the most important thing you need to do is get help from an expert Moorpark, CA, sex crimes defense lawyer right away. .
Charges a Moorpark, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Can Help You Fight
Rape and Sexual Assault
Rape and sexual assault are probably the worst types of sex crimes to be charged with in Moorpark, CA. Rape, in particular, is treated extremely harshly for allegedly using force to coerce someone into sexual intercourse. Rape is one form of sexual assault. Sexual assault is not defined on its own in California law, but instead is a term used to describe a category of violent offenses of a sexual nature.
In the past, a rape accusation between spouses had different consequences that were considered more lenient. Today, though, this no longer applies, and alleged rapes between spouses are treated the same as any other.
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
Not every statutory rape charge is the same, but all of them are serious. If the alleged victim was within 3 years of the alleged offender's age, it is a misdemeanor. Anything beyond that, and the prosecution has discretion to charge the crime as a felony. Additionally, there can be enhanced penalties if the alleged offender is over the age of 21 and the alleged victim is under the age of 16.
Internet and Digital Sex Crimes
These include child sexual abuse material (PC §§ 311–311.11), sending harmful matter to a minor (PC § 288.2), sexting involving a minor, and sting cases built on chats with an officer posing as a minor. Adult "revenge porn" is a separate offense under PC § 647(j)(4) and related statutes. Digital forensics — who had the device, hash values, unallocated space, account takeover, and intent — often decide the case.
Lewd Conduct in Public
It may be easy to confuse lewd conduct in public with indecent exposure, but these are separate offenses in Moorpark, CA. Where indecent exposure refers to a person showing off their own genitalia in an offensive manner, one difference with lewd conduct can involve another person. Lewd conduct involves the alleged sexual touching of one's own or someone else's privates in a public place, offending other people in the area. Intentions don't matter — just whether or not someone was present who was upset by the actions.
Related Charges
In Moorpark, CA, we also defend indecent exposure (PC § 314), human trafficking (PC § 236.1), 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.
Accused of a Below Sex Crime? Call Us Today
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
Will Help You Fight the Charges
Pre-filing and investigation. If you are being investigated but not yet charged in Moorpark, 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 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. The right motions can set your case up for success. In addition to motions we commonly file (like suppression and dismissal), in sex crime cases we often file a motion to suppress identification. Unfortunately, misidentification can occur more often than it should in criminal cases, and sex crimes are no exception.
Negotiation. The registration tier often matters more than a few months of custody. Reducing a Tier 3 offense to a non-registerable or Tier 1/2 charge can be the entire case.
Trial and sentencing. Some lawyers won't want to take cases to trial. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we're prepared to present your defense in front of a judge and jury.
Your Moorpark, CA, Sex Crime Lawyer Needs to Have These Qualities
- Knowledge of how to handle the exact charges against you
- Readiness to help right away, no matter what stage your case is at
- A defense strategy that you can understand
- Availability and a single point of contact
- A feeling that you're being treated like a person, not a paycheck
Moorpark, CA, Sex Crime Penalties
| 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. Every case is individual. A rape conviction can also carry a separate PC § 264 restitution fine directed to victim assistance programs.
What You Need to Know About the Sex Offender Registry in California
California uses a three-tier system (SB 384, in effect since 2021):
- Tier 1 — normally a 10-year period on the registry. 5 years in some juvenile cases. 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: repeated annoying of a child, some sodomy cases, and some rape cases.
- Tier 3 — lifetime for the most serious offenses (e.g., most rape offenses, aiding a rape attempt, pimping a minor) 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 Moorpark, CA
- Consent (where the statute allows it — not for children below the age of consent)
- 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 (e.g. forcible sex crimes)
- False or motivated accusation False accusations — some people use false sexual assault or rape allegations as a way to hurt another person or gain leverage in a custody battle
- Alibi — when you can show that you were not present when the alleged offense was committed, you can convince many people of your innocence
- Lack of evidence — when the prosecution fails to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, your attorney can use that to sway the jury
- Violation of your rights
- Entrapment or lack of intent in sting cases
- Charges were filed outside of the statute of limitations
Your Moorpark, CA, sex crimes attorney can help you pick out the right defense strategy for your case. And if it goes to trial, they are prepared to argue it in front of a jury.
Former Sex Offense Case Results
- Soliciting a Prostitute (PC § 647(b)) and Loitering with Intent to Commit Prostitution (PC § 653.22) — All Charges Dismissed. The client was accused of offering money for sex to an undercover officer in a "fake prostitute" sting — a common tactic that can raise entrapment issues. We enrolled the client in an educational diversion program, and upon proof of successful completion, the court dismissed all charges. No public record of the case remains.
- Statutory Rape (PC § 261.5) — Client Avoided Jail and Sex Offender Registration; Dismissal Available After Probation. Our skillful team leveraged plea negotiations to help our client avoid a prison sentence and stay off of the ex offender registry.
- Rape (PC § 261) — Felony Accusation, All Charges Dismissed Before Trial. Our client was potentially up against 25 years in prison and a lifetime on the sex offender registry. They were present at an event where a woman was assaulted, but they took no part in it. The state charged them with rape, but we were able to argue in the preliminary hearing that the charges were not applicable due to our client's lack of participation. All charges were dismissed. No public record of the case remains.
- 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. Through a defense built around consent, we negotiated a resolution giving the client credit for time served, avoiding a felony strike and sex offender registration.
- Child Molestation (PC § 288) and Sodomy with a Child Under 10 (PC § 288.7) — All Charges Dismissed, No Sex Offender Registration. The client faced three potential life terms with no bail. We looked into the evidence, and found that the claims were false. At the preliminary hearing, the judge believed our story and dismissed the charges. No public record of the case remains.
The above cases are selected as a representation of the Law Offices of David S. Chesley's results — they do not guarantee a specific outcome in a given case. Your Moorpark, CA, sex crimes lawyer can help you figure out the best approach to your case, and help you understand realistic outcomes.
Common Questions for Sex Accusations in Moorpark, CA
Do I need a lawyer if I am innocent?
Yes — unfortunately, the police can make mistakes in their investigations and end up charging the wrong person. Your freedom and rights deserve professional protection.
Is there a risk of deportation if I'm convicted?
Many sex convictions are treated as aggravated felonies or crimes involving moral turpitude. Discuss immigration consequences before any plea.
Can a sex crimes lawyer help get charges reduced or dismissed?
While this is not a possibility in every sex crimes case, our attorneys will explore it as an option and negotiate for a favorable deal.
Are people convicted of stautory rape put on the sex offender registry?
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.
Does California require sex offenders to inform their neighbors?
While sex offenders are not required to personally inform new neighbors after moving into a location, their registration is public knowledge and can be looked up online.
Do You Need a Sex Crimes Lawyer in Moorpark, CA? Call David Chesley
Don't try to handle this yourself and end up digging a hole you can't get out of. With the right defense and the right lawyer presenting it, you'll maximize your chances of a positive outcome.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley is ready to take your case. If you need a sex crimes lawyer in Moorpark, CA, call us right away at (800) 755-5174 or reach out online to start building your defense.
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