You need a sex crimes lawyer in Rialto, 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.
For Rialto, CA, residents in need of defense against sex crime accusations, there's a clear choice of who to turn to: The Law Offices of David S. Chesley. Our attorneys fight for our client's rights. When you call us, you're getting a team that's ready to help, whatever you need.
We give you someone you can count on. Call (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online to talk to a sex crimes lawyer in Rialto, CA.
Attorney David S. Chesley, Rialto, CA, criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
The Realities of a Rialto, CA, Sex Crime Charge
Rialto, CA treats sex crime accusations very seriously. Without an experienced sex crimes attorney, you could be facing:
- Incarceration
- Years (or even a lifetime) on the sex offender registry
- Public labelling as a sex offender
- The potential loss of child custody
- Ongoing governmental supervision
Don't try to face these consequences alone. The right Rialto, CA, sex crimes lawyer can help you minimize or even avoid them.
How to Handle Rialto, CA, Sex Crime Accusations
- Do not contact the accuser — even to apologize or "explain." That can be charged as witness intimidation or violating a protective order.
- Do not talk to police, detectives, or campus investigators. Plead the Fifth Amendment and politely ask to speak with your lawyer.
- Decline any search requests if there isn't a warrant for it and if you haven't had a chance to check with your Rialto, CA sex charges attorney.
- Save any evidence. Deletion can be a crime in and of itself, and make you look guilty.
- Talk about your case with your sex crimes lawyer in Rialto, CA: Without a full picture, they won't be able to build a complete defense.
- Obey court orders — you can face serious penalties for breaking these.
- Get support outside the case — look for local mental health resources to help cope with the stress of your case.
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Early counsel can sometimes intervene before filing, especially in online sting, statutory, and "he said / she said" investigations.
Charges a Rialto, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Can Help You Fight
Rape and Sexual Assault
It's hard to think of a crime that is publicly regarded as worse than rape in Rialto, CA. A conviction means up to 8 years in prison, as well as sex offender registration. Sexual assault, meanwhile, is a catch-all term for several violent sex crimes (often including rape and sexual battery).
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
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). California does not have a Romeo and Juliet law, so it's illegal for an adult to have sex with a minor even if they are close in age.
Statutory Rape
Whether or not a minor agreed to have sex with an adult, the adult can be convicted of statutory rape (AKA unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor). This charge can be either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances and prosecutorial discretion. But a prison sentence isn't the only concern: You can also be forced to register as a sex offender, particularly if the alleged offense occurred after December 31st, 2025.
Internet 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.
AI-Generated Sexual Content Involving Children
Child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse material, is illegal at both the California state and federal levels — even if it was generated with AI. This means that it doesn't matter whether the depicted child is real or fictional — creating and distributing these types of images is against the law. If you're accused of this, you need a sex crimes lawyer who can defend you in both state and federal court.
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 Rialto, 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.
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
How We Defend the Case
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. Evidence can play a major role in sex crime cases. We'll not only look at everything that the state has discovered, but also conduct our own investigations to find anything that can help your defense.
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. 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 case can be handled through negotiations. When talks break down, we use our defensive strategy to persuade the jury. And if the outcome is guilty on any charge, we'll advocate for you in sentencing.
Looking for a Sex Crimes Lawyer in Rialto, CA? Don't Overlook These Factors
- Previous experience defending clients against similar or the same charges
- Relationships in Rialto, CA, courts
- Honest assessment of registration risk, not just "jail vs. no jail"
- Availability and a single point of contact
- A feeling that you're being treated like a person, not a paycheck
Rialto, 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. . 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
California uses a three-tier system (SB 384, in effect since 2021):
- Tier 1 — generally 10 years (5 years in some juvenile cases). Examples: misdemeanor sex crimes are often Tier 1, notably sexual battery and some child pornography possession.
- Tier 2 — generally 20 years. Examples: incest, some rape cases, and penetration with a foreign object.
- 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.
Defense Strategies Your Rialto, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer May Use
- Consent applies in several sex crime charges, since many are only illegal if a party did not consent
- Reasonable, good-faith mistake as to the accuser's age (the "Hernandez defense," CALCRIM No. 1071) — available for statutory rape under PC § 261.5, but not available for lewd acts with a child under 14 (PC § 288) or for human trafficking (PC § 236.1), where a defendant's belief about age is not a defense as a matter of law
- False or motivated accusation False accusations — unfortunately, some people will make up criminal accusations in order to get something they want
- Alibi — when you can show that you were not present when the alleged offense was committed, you can convince many people of your innocence
- Insufficient proof of a required element (intent, force, "lewd purpose," knowledge of age, possession vs. unsolicited file)
- Illegally acquired evidence
- Child interviews that were coached or led to a certain end
- Entrapment, when law enforcement goes too far in convincing the alleged offender
- Statute of limitations or charging defects
When you have the right defense strategy and the right defense attorney on your side, you're maximizing your chances of a positive outcome.
Former 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) — Avoided Jail and Sex Offender Registration; Charges to be Dismissed. 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 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. The case records not viewable by the public.
- Kidnapping (PC § 207) and Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a Minor (PC § 261.5) — Our Defense Protected Our Client From 6 Years in Prison and Sex Offender Registration. Using a consent-based defense, we negotiated a resolution giving the client credit for time served, with no strike and no sex offender registration.
- 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 demonstrated that the allegations had been fabricated, and the court dismissed all charges at the preliminary hearing. As an added bonus, our client's privacy is protected as any remaining records are not available to the public.
These results are representative of past performance, but do not guarantee future results. Your Rialto, 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 Crime Charges in Rialto, 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.
Is there a risk of deportation if I'm convicted?
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.
Do I have to stay on the sex offender registry for life in Rialto, CA?
If you were convicted of a tier 1 offense, you can generally apply for removal after 10 years. Tier 2 is similar, just after 20 years. Tier 3 results in a lifetime sex offender registration.
Does California's sex offender registry include statutory rape?
California updated its sex offender registration requirements for statutory rape effective January 1st, 2026. This mandates Tier 1 registration for most statutory rape convicts, unless the age gap was more than 10 years. Talk to your sex crimes lawyer before accepting any plea.
If I'm on the California sex offender registry, do I have to tell my 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.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley: Premier Sex Crimes Lawyers in Rialto, CA
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.
If you need an experienced Rialto, CA, sex crimes lawyer, the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is here for you. Call now at (800) 755-5174 or use our contact form to get started today.
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