Mercer County NJ Luring Lawyers
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office takes luring charges very seriously and they tend to prosecute anyone charged with it to the fullest extent of the law. Furthermore, pursuant to the new bail reforms which began in January for 2017, an individual charged with luring may be detained in the Mercer County Jail, without bail, pending trial. In order to do so, the prosecution will need to be successful at what is known as a Detention Hearing. A Detention Hearing, which is part of the new bail reforms, is done at the request of the prosecution if they are seeking to detain an individual without bail. During the hearing, the prosecution will be attempting to convince the Judge that it is necessary, for the safety of the public, to keep the Defendant detained in the Mercer County Jail while their case is pending trial. These hearings could and always should be contested. So, now more than ever, if you find yourself in this type of situation, it is crucial that you speak to a criminal defense attorney about your options.
Since luring is a second degree felony offense in New Jersey, if convicted, a Defendant could be facing mandatory incarceration. In addition to that, a Defendant may also be facing other serious collateral consequences as well, including Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision. If you or a loved one has been charged with luring, criminal sexual contact, aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault or possession of child pornography in Mercer County, the Keith Oliver Criminal Law can help. Our attorneys appear in courts throughout Mercer County including the Mercer County Superior Court, the Trenton Municipal Court, the Lawrence Municipal Court, the Ewing Municipal Court and the Robbinsville Municipal Court. If you would like to come into our office and have a one on one consultation with one of our Mercer County criminal defense attorneys then please contact us at (609) 789-0779. We can discuss the facts of your case, assess the case’s strengths and weakness and formulate a game plan for defending the charges. We are available around the clock and as always our initial consultations are free of costs. So, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Luring Attorneys in Hamilton NJ
If you have been arrested and charged with a criminal offense like luring in Mercer County it is crucial that you speak to a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible about your options. As you will see below, the offense of luring is rather straightforward. In order to be convicted of this offense, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt three material elements, they are as follows:
- That the victim was a child or that the Defendant reasonably believed that the victim was a child;
- That the Defendant attempted to lure or entice the victim into an area; &
- That Defendant had the intent to commit a criminal offense with or against the child.
In layman’s terms, anyone accused of luring a child into an area so that they could commit a criminal offense with or against them, will be charged with the offense of luring. Luring has been defined as attracting, tempting, inducing or coaxing one to do something that they would not normally have done. In addition, the term child has been defined as anyone under the age of eighteen at the of the offense.
What to Look for When Defending Luring Charges in NJ?
Establishing a luring charge can prove to be problematic for the prosecution at times, as this offense requires the mens rea of “purposely”. This is the highest standard of mens rea required in New Jersey. (Mens rea refers to one’s mental state at the time of the offense is allegedly committed). In order to prove someone acted “purposely” the State needs to prove that it was the conscious objective of the Defendant to engage in the specific type of conduct or to cause such a result. If you would like to discuss your options with one of our Mercer County luring defense attorneys then please contact us at (609) 789-0779.
What are the Penalties for Luring in NJ?
Luring is a second degree felony offense in New Jersey. If convicted, a Defendant will be facing anywhere from five (5) to ten (10) years in a State Prison, a fine up to $150,000 and a felony criminal record. All second degree felony offenses in New Jersey are given a presumption for imprisonment. Which means it is almost certain that a Defendant will be sentenced to a term of incarceration if convicted. In addition, anyone convicted of luring in New Jersey will also be forced to register under Megan’s Law and be placed on Parole Supervision for Life. As you can tell, the applicable penalties if convicted are life changing.
Luring Lawyers in Lawrenceville NJ
An individual charged with luring is normally also charged with criminal sexual contact, aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child or sexual assault. Regardless of the ancillary charges, anyone charged with luring in Mercer County should speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney about their options. As you can see from reading above, the penalties if convicted are life changing. At a bare minimum, a Defendant is looking at five (5) years in a New Jersey State Prison. If you would like to speak to one of our attorneys about your options then please contact our office directly at (609) 789-0779. We serve all of Mercer County, including towns like Hamilton, Lawrence, West Windsor, East Windsor, Hightstown, Trenton and Ewing.