An individual charged with sex crimes in Virginia will face a whole host of problems that including damage to their personal and professional reputations. This damage can be exponential when the sex crimes enter the realm of child sexual abuse. Included in this is taking indecent liberties with children. Understanding this law and the penalties that accompany a conviction are key when dealing with these charges.
A person aged 18 or older who, with lascivious intent, commits certain acts with a child under 15 can be charged with a Class 5 felony. Included in these acts is the exposing or proposal to expose the genitals or sexual parts to a child. Proposing that the child touch or fondle his or her own genitals or the genitals or sexual parts or the parts of another person is illegal. Proposing the child perform sexual acts including intercourse and other sexual acts will fall under this law.
A person who is 18 or older who receives money, property or compensation for allowing a person under 18 to take part in sexually explicit materials or who encourages a person to take part will be charged with a Class 5 felony. A person convicted of a subsequent violation after a conviction on the first incident will be charged with a Class 4 felony if it was part of a common act, scheme or transaction; the person was free in the time frame between the convictions; and it has been admitted or found that the person was convicted of the violation at a prior time.
A parent, grandparent, stepparent or step-grandparent who violates this law upon a child who is under 18 but at least 15 will be charged with a Class 5 felony. If the victim is a child under 15, it will be a Class 4 felony. These types of charges will inevitably lead to an aggressive prosecution and the long-term problems that come with a conviction of child sexual abuse. Those who are confronted with these sex offenses must formulate a strong defense as soon as possible.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov, “18.2-370. Taking indecent liberties with children; penalties.,” accessed on Sept. 12, 2016
Leave a Reply