Knowledgeable Kent Lawyer Defending Individuals from Charges
Located in King County, Kent is the sixth-largest city in the State of Washington. Its population as of 2013 stood at over 120,000 residents. It started as an agricultural community and was known at one point as the “Lettuce Capital of the World,” but after rapid growth it is now home to major corporations. Kent has had a higher violent crime rate than the United States average since 2004. People who are accused of sex offenses and domestic violence face the potential for more than jail time. The social stigma around these crimes is high and can adversely affect your ability to get or keep a job and have a damaging effect on your family relationships. If you are facing these types of charges near Kent, you should consult criminal defense attorneys at Vindicate Criminal Law Group to help you build a strong strategy.
Facing Criminal Prosecution in King County
Domestic violence is a designation that can attach to specified crimes in Washington. Some crimes that can receive this classification include assault in the first degree, drive-by shootings, reckless endangerment, coercion, reckless endangerment, burglary in the first degree, criminal trespass, malicious mischief, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and rape.
Many people think of rape as a sex crime that occurs between strangers or perhaps acquaintances. However, it also can happen within households or between family members. Someone can be found guilty of rape in the first degree, a class A felony, if he or she has sexual intercourse with another person by force, either by using or threatening to use a deadly weapon, kidnapping the victim, inflicting serious physical injury, or feloniously coming into a building or vehicle where the victim is located. This crime will be designated a crime of domestic violence if a specific familial or household relationship exists between the victim and the defendant.
When a rape is a crime of domestic violence, the prosecution will likely ask for a no contact order and possibly other conditions of release that restrict the behavior of the alleged perpetrator. In Washington, a prosecutor can ask for no contact, even if the victim wants to have contact. If the no contact order is granted, which it often is, you can be sentenced to up to five years in prison for violating the order. Moreover, you will lose your right to possess firearms for life. The court will likely require you to attend a treatment program at your own expense, which can impose significant costs.
Discuss Your Sex Offenses Charges with a Kent Attorney
If you are charged near Kent with a crime involving domestic violence, your freedom and reputation may beat stake. An experienced sex offenses lawyer can employ various strategies to defend you. Vindicate Criminal Law Group is familiar with helping defendants tell their version of what happened and advocating on their behalf with prosecutors, judges, and juries. It is not uncommon for inaccurate or exaggerated complaints to be made in connection with areas of criminal law like sex offenses or domestic violence, and you should not bear the burden of someone else’s mistake or ill will. Contact us today for your confidential case evaluation, or call (888) 212-4824.