CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL LAWYERS

Los Angeles Annoying or Molesting a Child under 18

How to Defend against Charges of Annoying or Molesting a Child in Los Angeles

If you are facing criminal charges of child molestation or annoyance of a child under 18 years old in Los Angeles, CA, your freedom, and your reputation is in grave danger. A child molestation conviction can lead to severe consequences that can hurt you, your family, and your career.

Annoying or molesting Child under Age 18
California penal code 647.6 clearly makes it a criminal offense to annoy or molest any child under 18. If you are convicted of such an offense, your penalties can include rigorous probation, mandatory registration as a sex offender for life, and years of incarceration.

Annoying a child under 18 could encompass a wide range of conduct. The law forbids any offensive or annoying conduct, including non-physical behavior, such as verbal insults, suggestive behavior, or offensive body language. The offense could also include physical contact or lewd conduct. Almost any activity that can be described as offensive or harmful to a child, even if it doesn’t cause physical harm, can be considered annoying or molesting.

Important Elements of Child Molestation That Must Be Proven in Court
To secure a conviction, the prosecutor must be able to prove certain important elements of the offense. Here are some of the critical elements of child molestation that the prosecutor must establish beyond a reasonable doubt:

-The child is under 18 years old.
-The defendant indeed engaged in the act directed towards the child.
-The conduct was motivated by abnormal or unnatural sexual interest towards the child.

Defenses to Child Molestation Charges
If you are facing charges that you annoyed or molested a child under 18, you need to take your legal defense seriously. If you don’t have an experienced child molestation defense attorney, you may not know what steps to take. Here are some of the defenses that your attorney could use to defend you against the charges:

-Taking apart the credibility of the main witness or the accuser: If the person making the allegations against you is not credible, your defense attorney may be able to dismantle their argument successfully. They may seek to point out any evidence of false allegations or other falsehoods that a witness has made in the past.
-Proving that the conduct was not motivated by abnormal or unnatural sexual interests: If your conduct wasn’t motivated by sexual interest in the child, you cannot be convicted of violating Penal Code 647.6 PC. If there was an innocent or non-sexual motive for your conduct, your attorney may be able to show that the allegations against you are baseless.
-Private defense polygraph examination results: The courts may allow the defendant to carry out private lie detector tests. The results can be kept confidential, but the examiner must be of unquestioned standing. Although they are not admissible in court, if the private polygraph test shows that you are telling the truth, you may be able to persuade the prosecutor to drop the case.
-Proving that the conduct was not directed at a child under 18 years old.
-Proving that the conduct would not, under normal circumstances, have irritated, disturbed, offended or injured a regular person.

Penalties for Child Molestation Convictions
The punishments for violating Penal Code 647.6 PC could include:

-A fine of up to $5,000 and a maximum of one year in county jail if classified as a misdemeanor.
-Three to six years in state prison if classified as a felony, depending on the circumstances, if you have a prior Penal Code 647.6 PC conviction.
-Mandatory sex offender registration upon conviction.
A child molestation conviction can lead to life-changing penalties because you may find it challenging to get a job or rent an apartment. The court may order you to register as a sex offender, and as such, you must report to law enforcement periodically. The system creates an entry in Megan’s Law website, which is accessible by the public. Your details, such as your name, address, and convictions, may show up on this website for everyone to see, which can be humbling and may lead to serious consequences in the workplace, family, and social circles.

Speak to a Criminal Defense Attorney in Los Angeles

Child molestation charges carry severe consequences in Los Angeles. If you or your loved one is being investigated or has been charged with child molestation, you must act with urgency. It would be if you consulted with a qualified criminal defense attorney like Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer so that you can confidently prepare your defense. Our attorneys will help you defend yourself effectively, and explore all possible legal remedies in your defense. Contact us today at 310-502-1314 to speak to our Child Molestation Defense Attorney in Los Angeles.