As you can imagine, New Jersey just like every other State, takes sex crimes very seriously. In fact, every county, including Mercer County, assigns a special group of prosecutors to prosecute these types of crimes. Their unit is called the Special Victims Unit (SVU). With that being said, most of these offenses are what they call “he said she said” cases. Often times there are no witness outside of the alleged victim. This is where an experienced Mercer County criminal defense attorney can make a tremendous difference. If you have been arrested and charged with a sex crime like aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, lewdness, possession of child pornography or criminal sexual contact Keith Oliver Criminal Law can help. Most sex crimes carry some of the harshest penalties under the New Jersey criminal code. That includes the potential for a twenty-five years to life sentence. On top of that, most sex crimes also carry collateral consequences which include Parole Supervision for life, Community Supervision for Life and Megan’s Law. Lastly, under the new bail guidelines, which kicked in January 1, 2017, a Defendant could find themselves being detained without bail pending trial.
Need Local Sex Crime Defense Attorney in Hamilton NJ
If you or a loved one has been charged with a sex offenses in Mercer County and would like a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys, then please contact us at (609) 789-0779. Throughout Mr. Oliver’s career he has represented countless clients who were charged with various sex offenses. These are rather complicated offenses and often times the collateral consequences touched upon above can be more devastating than the underlying penalties. Having an aggressive, experienced defense lawyer to guide you through this tough time is crucial. Our Mercer County criminal attorneys are prepared to attack the State’s proofs in order to put our clients in a position to achieve the best possible result. Our office serves all of Mercer County and we routinely appear in the following Courts, the Lawrenceville Municipal Court, the Hamilton Municipal Court, the Ewing Municipal Court, the Robbinsville Municipal Court, the West Windsor Municipal Court, the Trenton Municipal Court, the Hightstown Municipal Court and the Mercer County Superior Court. Here is a list of some of the common offenses that Keith Oliver Criminal Law handle.
What You Should Know About Sex Crime Investigations in Mercer County
As previously stated, sex crimes tend to be he-said-she-said type of incidents. In other words, there are rarely independent witnesses to these types of crimes and more often then not, the likelihood of a conviction, will rest on the credibility of the alleged victim. That is just one of the many reasons why law enforcement seeks to either obtain a confession from their suspect or at the least get the suspect to confirm certain circumstantial evidence to continue to build their case. As a result, if you or a loved one is asked to come down to the police station to discuss a sexual assault allegation we strongly urge that you consult with an attorney about your options.
Common Sex Crimes Charged in Trenton NJ
- Luring
- Lewdness
- Megan’s Law
- Invasion of Privacy Charges
- Parole Supervision for Life
- Community Supervision for Life
Posting Bail on a Sex Crime in Mercer County
The vast majority of sex crimes will fall under New Jersey’s Bail Reform Act. That means that anyone charged with a sex crime will not simply be processed at the local police station and released either on an ROR status or after posting a cash bail. Instead, they will be taken to the Mercer County Jail so that pretrial services can conduct a risk assessment. That risk assessment will then be used by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office to determine whether they will agree to release the individual at their Central Judicial Processing Hearing (CJP) on conditions. If they decline to agree to release the individual then they must file a formal motion for detention. If that occurs, then a hearing will be conducted approximately five (5) days later. During that hearing the Judge will hear arguments from both the State and the defense counsel as to whether the individual possess a danger to the community if released. Ultimately the decision to release or detain the individual without bail will be up to the Judge. For more information on Detention Hearings in Mercer County, please click the link. These hearing should always be contested.
All Sex Crimes in New Jersey are Considered Felony Offenses
Regardless of whether the individual is facing a sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, possession of child pornography or luring, they will be facing an indictable offense, which is New Jersey’s version of a felony. The degree of a felony that an individual is facing will depend directly on offense in which they are charged with.
Can I be Placed on Megan’s Law in New Jersey?
The specific charge and subsection of that charge that an individual is facing will determine whether a conviction will require them to register pursuant to Megan’s Law. In other words, whether an individual is required to register will determined by statute. Certain subsections of the following crimes will require an individual to register under Megan’s Law: Aggravated Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Luring, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact and Criminal Sexual Contact. If an individual is forced to register under Megan’s Law, they could, under certain circumstances, seek to be removed after the expiration of fifteen (15) years if they can satisfy certain conditions. For more information on Megan’s Law Removal Motions in Mercer County, please click the link. Here is also a link to a recent success story whereby we helped an individual be removed from the registry and parole supervision for life after fifteen years in Mercer County.
Can I Be Served with a Temporary Restraining Order for a False Sex Assault Allegation in NJ?
Yes. If the victim qualifies a protected party pursuant to New Jersey’s Domestic Violence Prevention Act and they assert that they are the victim of a sexual assault then they could be entitled to a Temporary Restraining Order. If a TRO is granted, then a final restraining order hearing must be conducted to determine if a final order of protection is necessary. If a TRO is granted, it will be separate and apart from the criminal charges and will be litigated in a total different Court. If this occurs then it is crucial that you consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. What is testified too in a sexual assault final restraining order hearing could be used in the criminal proceeding. Here is an article about a recent FRO hearing that involved sexual assault allegations that we secured a dismissal on for our cleint.
Contact a Trenton NJ Sex Crime Defense Lawyer Today – 609-789-0779
Keith Oliver Criminal Law is an experienced Mercer County criminal defense firm. Our attorneys have handled countless sex crimes over the years and has a firm grasp on how these charges are prosecuted. If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with a criminal offense like aggravated criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child, sexual assault, possession of child pornography in Mercer County it is imperative that you speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately about your options. With these types of offenses, crucial discovery can dissipate quickly. If you would like to come into our office to have a face to face consultation with Mr. Oliver then please contact us at (609) 789-0779. Our office serves all of Mercer County, including towns like East Windsor, Trenton, Robbinsville, Hamilton, Lawrence, and Ewing. We are available 24/7 to help assist in any way possible. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.