Allegations of sexual abuse can arise from all kinds of different scenarios. Whether involving a child, a spouse, another family member, or someone who has entered a relationship of care and trust like a student-teacher relationship, patient-provider relationship, or clergy-parishioner relationship. Sexual abuse typically involves the sexual assault of a person or group of people by a criminal offender over an extended period. From as short as several days to a period of several years. Sexual abuse often involves gaining the victim’s trust (and sometimes the victim’s family) and physically or emotionally manipulating the victim not to disclose the abuse to others.
If you or a loved one are charged with sexual abuse, you may be aware that you may face penalties for a much more serious and life-altering conviction than a conviction for other crimes. A conviction for sexual abuse offenses can result in significant fines. Prison sentences can last for years or decades. And collateral consequences of a conviction. These include sex offender registration requirements and a social stigma that can preclude you from successfully seeking employment, education, credit, or housing.
If you’ve been charged with sexual abuse crimes in Collin County, you should act quickly to secure the dedicated, knowledgeable legal representation you need to face your criminal charges confidently. Contact the Collin County sexual abuse defense attorneys of Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian today to schedule a free initial consultation with our legal team to discuss your legal rights and options in facing your criminal charges and to learn more about how our firm will provide you with the resources you need to fight your charges.
Do I Need a Defense Lawyer?
If you are facing criminal charges related to accusations of sexual abuse, you must seek out the assistance of a sexual abuse defense attorney. States and counties dedicate considerable resources to investigating and prosecuting allegations of sexual abuse. Defending against criminal charges of sexual abuse is an intensive, complicated process that you should not go through alone. An experienced sexual abuse criminal defense attorney may be the key to obtaining a successful or positive outcome in your case.
Most sexual abuse cases involve a considerable amount of evidence. In many cases, some evidence takes the form of DNA, forensic, or physical evidence that experts must analyze and interpret. An experienced sexual abuse defense attorney knows what evidence to look for in a defense case. They can coordinate collecting evidence and working with experts to develop opinions about the evidence that will be admissible in court. A sexual abuse defense attorney will also review the prosecution’s evidence. They will look for holes and gaps in the prosecution’s case theory.
If circumstances in your case convince you that you should plead guilty to your charges, a sexual abuse defense attorney can negotiate with prosecutors to get you a favorable plea agreement that reduces or eliminates potential sentences and collateral consequences of your conviction, such as sex offender registration requirements. Should you go to trial, an attorney will vigorously and persuasively advocate for an acquittal. If acquittal is not the outcome, an attorney will be your advocate and will work to convince the court to reduce the charges and penalties as much as possible.
Why Choose Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian to Handle My Case?
If you are facing criminal charges stemming from allegations of sexual abuse in Collin County, you have many criminal defense law firms to choose from. Deciding which firm can give you the best chance of preserving your freedom and reputation can be hard. When you choose Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian to represent you when facing criminal charges, you gain the help of a law firm with many resources to devote to your case.
Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian is the largest criminal defense firm in Collin County. That means we can have multiple experienced criminal defense attorneys collaborate on your case to develop the best possible defense strategy. We believe in providing our clients with the strong defense they need. So we use a team approach to explore every angle of your case. Uncover every piece of evidence, and find every flaw in the prosecution’s case.
Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian is the only firm with two Criminal Law Board Certified partners. In Texas, board certification means that an attorney has substantial experience in their field of law. They have been tested and demonstrated specific competence in that area of law. Only one percent of attorneys in Texas receive the high distinction of being board certified.
Contact Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian today to schedule a consultation with our experienced, successful criminal defense attorneys to learn more about how our firm fights to protect the rights and reputations of those accused of crimes in Collin County.
Types of Cases We Handle
Sexual abuse is not a specific statutory offense under Texas law. Instead, conduct that may be popularly understood to constitute sexual abuse may encompass many other specific criminal offenses, including:
- Indecent exposure
- Child molestation
- Rape
- Solicitation of a minor
- Sex with a minor
- Sexual assault
The sexual abuse defense attorneys of Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian can help clients in Collin County charged with sexual abuse crimes. We handle cases involving sexual abuse in circumstances such as:
- Sexual abuse of a child
- Sexual abuse of a spouse
- Sexual abuse of a family member
- Sexual abuse of a minor
- Sexual abuse of a person in one’s care
Contact Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian today to speak with an experienced sexual abuse criminal defense attorney to learn more about how our firm will defend your freedom, livelihood, and community standing.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I am convicted of sexual abuse, will I need to register as a sex offender?
The requirement to register as a sex offender depends on the crime you were convicted of. Although some sex crimes may not carry a condition to register as a sex offender, in practice, most sex crimes, including those charged as part of an allegation of sexual abuse, carry a requirement to register as a sex offender following conviction and release from incarceration. Sex offender registration requirements are automatically based on the statutory offense. So even if you negotiate a plea agreement, you cannot negotiate away your obligation to register as a sex offender unless you plead to an offense that does not have that requirement.
What kind of penalties could I face if I am convicted?
The penalties you face, if you are convicted will depend on the specific crimes you are charged with and convicted of. In most cases, sexual abuse involves crimes – such as molestation, sexual assault, and solicitation of a minor – charged under Texas law as felonies. As a result, if you are convicted, you will most likely face the potential of significant fines – as much as $10,000 or more – along with a prison sentence that can be as long as 99 years, depending on the charged offense and severity of the crime.
What happens if the complaining witness decides they no longer want to cooperate with the prosecution against me?
If a complaining witness no longer wants to prosecute you or to cooperate with the district attorney’s office, they may file an affidavit of non-prosecution with the district attorney’s office. The complaining witness’s testimony is sometimes critical to the state’s case. However, just because a complaining witness files an affidavit of non-prosecution, that does not mean that your charges are automatically withdrawn or dismissed. The decision to withdraw criminal charges rests with the district attorney’s office. The prosecutor in charge of your case may decide that he or she has enough evidence to convict you on your charges, even without the complaining witness’s testimony.
The Collin County Criminal Defense Attorneys at Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian Are Ready to Fight for You
If you have been accused or charged with crimes, you must act quickly to protect your rights and put yourself in the best position possible to obtain a favorable outcome on your charges. The criminal justice system vigorously prosecutes cases of sexual abuse; you need a law firm who can give you the resources you need to fight back and defend yourself against your charges. Contact the Collin County sexual abuse defense attorneys of Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian today to schedule a free consultation with our experienced legal team to learn more about your rights and options in facing charges of sexual abuse and about how our firm can fight for you to protect your rights, reputation, and freedom. Call (972) 369-0577 or reach us online.