ST. LOUIS SEX OFFENSE ATTORNEY
Over 30 years of successful trial experience
Helping people fight for justice
Call today for a free consultation
Let attorney James P. Feely, Jr. help you. Mr. Feely will take the time to explain all of your options.
Being charged with a sex crime is probably worse than murder in some ways.
Even if you are completely innocent, simply being accused of a sex offense can cause permanent damage to your reputation and name.
Society tends to assume that if you are charged with a sex offense, you must be guilty.
James P. Feely, Jr.
Prosecutors never go easy on sex crimes. It is one of the offenses where there is not much of a "first-time" offender break that others often receive for other types of crimes.
The rules of criminal procedure are also slanted against the defendant more in a sex offense than other offenses.
Laws regarding propensity evidence - which is where someone accused you of something before, even without charges having been filed, now being admissible for part of your trial.
In fact, in 2014 the Missouri Constitution was amended to specifically allow such evidence.
Further, certain hearsay statements from alleged victims who are children are also allowed under certain circumstances against the defendant.
This all helps to stack the deck against someone charged with a sex offense.
Each year it seems the laws get tougher on sex offender related cases.
The legislature also seems to go out of their way to make life tougher for sex offenders who have done their time in prison or on probation.
Chapter 566 of the Missouri Revised Statutes - the main statute for sex offenses.
There are many different types of sex offenses, such as rape, child molestation, prostitution, and many others.
PROBATION FOR SEX OFFENDERS
If you are able to receive probation for your sex offense, you will be subject to conditions other probationers never have to face.
You will be subject to lie detector tests. You will be asked about your sexual fantasies while taking the lie detector test.
You will be asked if you have violated any conditions of probation.
The state uses independent and recognized polygraph examiners to conduct these tests.
Your access to the internet can be restricted while on probation or parole.
In today's world that can greatly limit your job opportunities, considering the necessity of the internet.
SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION
The consequences of being convicted of a sexual offense are in many ways far worse than other types of criminal charges.
In addition to jail time or imprisonment, you could be facing the requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life.
In Missouri, the registration requirement applies to all sexual offense felonies and some misdemeanors.
It is possible that you may have to register as a sexual offender for what is seemingly a minor offense such as urinating in public (indecent exposure).
In addition to the registration requirements, there are other rules that a person must abide by as a registered sex offender.
Such as restrictions on where you can live, places you cannot go to anymore like parks if they have a playground or swimming pool on premises, your kid's school, plus other such rules.
WHO CAN HELP YOU?
An experienced criminal defense lawyer in Missouri will help you understand the possible consequences of facing a sex offense charge.
More importantly, your attorney will advise you of the defense strategies and options available to you.
Hiring an attorney early in the process when facing sexual offense charges is important.
Even being accused of a sexual offense can cost you your job, marriage and your status as an upstanding citizen in your community.
In these circumstances, you need a competent and skilled criminal defense attorney with experience in these types of cases.
SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR LAW IN MISSOURI
Missouri has a law regarding those the Government deem to be "sexually violent predators".
This law is being used by the Government to keep convicted sexual offenders locked up even after they have served their entire prison sentence.
This particular legal process is considered "civil" in nature, and the person who is found to be a "sexually violent predator" may possibly spend the rest of his/her life involuntarily confined to a State Mental Facility.
The sexual violent predator laws are listed in Chapter §632 of the Missouri Revised Statutes.
EXPERIENCED, TOUGH REPRESENTATION
Mr. Feely has over 30 years of successful trial experience handling all types of criminal defense matter including sex offenses.
In some cases he received dismissals from the prosecutor before the case actually went to trial.
In some of these situations the clients were facing up to life in prison, but went free because of Mr. Feely's extensive and aggressive pretrial strategy in defending clients facing sex offense charges.
When you call you will speak to an attorney, and not an assistant or paralegal.