A 39-year-old male was arrested pursuant to a search warrant executed at his home. The warrant was obtained by the police following an in-person report from a mother who reported that her young child had engaged in inappropriate online communications with the suspect. He is reportedly a previous child sex offender, having pleaded guilty in 1998 to a misdemeanor sex charge that involved a victim between ages of 13 and 17. In the current offense, the suspect is charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse with a victim under the age of 13.
Charges relating to alleged acts of sexual activity with a child are extremely serious. If convicted, an individual may not only have to spend time in prison, but he or she will carry the weight of the conviction after the prison sentence has ended. Convicted sex offenders must register and check in regularly with the authorities. Plus, having such a conviction on record can make securing housing and employment far more difficult.
Child sex offenders often face fierce police, prosecutorial and judicial pressure. These cases have an inescapable emotional element that escalates when the victim is young. It is in these moments that dedicated criminal defense attorneys can be extremely beneficial for a defendant.
No one likes to imagine a child as a victim. So, child sex offenders face intense bias from the police, prosecutors, judges, public, news media and everyone else. Dedicated criminal defense attorneys often can provide a strong defense for their clients. If you are charged with these crimes, retaining counsel as quickly as possible could prove both beneficial and critical.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Waukegan man charged with sexually assaulting child,” Frank S. Abderholden, Nov. 11, 2015