Middlesex County Statutory Rape Defense Lawyer
Statutory rape is a term that is often used although there is no specific offense by this label in New Jersey. The phrase is commonly used to describe sexual intercourse, without force, between an actor who is an adult and a minor. The rape is referred to “statutory” because the victim is just short of the age of consent. The violation typically arises in Middlesex County as an endangering the welfare of a child and/or sexual assault offense. The attorneys at The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have decades of experience defending individuals charged in this manner including those arrested in New Brunswick, Old Bridge, Monroe, Edison and Woodbridge. We are former prosecutors, including a former supervisor at the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office with over a century practicing in this arena with success. If you are facing a sex offense in New Brunswick of this nature, a lawyer with the skills necessary to help you is available immediately. Call 732-246-7126 to reach our New Brunswick Office for an immediate consultation.
Charged With Statutory Rape in New Brunswick New Jersey
The linchpin of a statutory rape case is the fact that a minor lacks the ability to consent to sexual relations. So any act of consenting by someone under the statutory age of sixteen (16) is ineffective. This is obviously problematic for the late teenager who engages in intercourse with a boyfriend or girlfriend who is under this age of consent. Sexual penetration between a victim who is 13, 14 or 15 years old and someone who is at least 4 years older results in a second degree sexual assault under N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2. When the victim is under the age of 13, that is something much different and certainly not what would classically be considered a statutory rape. It is a first degree aggravated sexual assault.
Penalties. Sexual assault is, as previously stated, a second degree crime. An individual sentenced for this offense faces 5 to 10 years in state prison and a fine that can reach $150,000. A Sex Crime Victim Treatment Fund assessment of $1,000 must also be imposed. A conviction for sexual assault falls within the requirements of both the No Early Release Act and Megan’s Law. Finally, a restraining order prohibiting the defendant from having any contact with the victim is imposed as a result of a plea or finding of guilt to this charge.
New Brunswick NJ Statutory Rape Attorneys
For those who have the misfortune of being charged with statutory rape in the form of a sexual assault charge, the stakes are extreme. You will almost certainly be sent to state prison for many years and things will not end upon release since someone convicted of a sexual assault is required to register as a sex offender for at least fifteen years thereafter. These penalties should be signal enough to you of the importance of hiring a lawyer who is skilled in defending sex crimes at the Middlesex County Superior Court in New Brunswick. Our team of defense attorneys have been handling statutory rape cases involving allegations of sexual assault for decades at this courthouse and even have an office located in New Brunswick directly across the street. The lawyers at our firm are ready to assist you now at 732-246-7126.
