You’ve Been Arrested for a Sex Crime—Now What?
If you’ve been arrested for a sex crime, the court of public opinion deems you guilty even before you have had a trial. Your family may desert you—even if you are eventually found not guilty. You may lose your job based on the allegations alone. If convicted, you are facing severe criminal penalties, collateral damage to your reputation, and the necessity of registering as a sex offender. You could find it impossible to secure employment, even without a conviction.
With a felony conviction of object rape, you may be unable to secure employment, further your education, obtain a professional license, or even rent a home or apartment. You could be denied custody or visitation with your own children, and even if you can find a place to live, it must not violate the rules of the sex offender registry. If you’ve been charged with a sex offense, it is imperative that you speak to a knowledgeable Salt Lake City object rape attorney from Conyers & Nix.
Why Choose a Salt Lake City Object Rape Attorney from Conyers & Nix?
As experienced, highly skilled Salt Lake City object rape attorneys, we are known for fighting for our clients—no matter what. We never judge our clients. Perhaps you are innocent of the charges, or there are extenuating circumstances that you need to explain. Whatever your situation, we will go the extra mile to ensure the best outcome possible for your charges. We have served thousands of clients, dealing with cases that bring unique facts, strategies, and results. We are always open and transparent, allowing you to participate in your case to whatever extent you choose.
When you choose Conyers & Nix, you will find that we are better than other attorneys because we were both public defenders before starting our own firm. We’ve handled more cases than most other private attorneys because we had much larger caseloads as public defenders. We have spent more time in courtrooms than many other attorneys, giving us more facetime with judges and more experience with prosecutors. We also spend more time fighting cases and go to trial more than other attorneys.
We are willing to challenge the status quo to get the best results for our clients. We are also more willing to outspokenly fight bureaucracy, constantly challenging the system in search of better results. We never accept a first offer from the prosecutor because we create creative legal strategies to get a better offer. If you’ve been charged with a sex crime like object rape, you need experienced assistance, and you need it now. The legal team at Conyers & Nix is ready to help you.
What is Object Rape?
Object rape, according to Utah Code Section 76-5-402.2, involves the penetration of the genital or anal opening of another person who is fourteen years old or older, by a foreign object, instrument, device, or substance, including a part of the human body other than the mouth or genitals. The intent must have been to cause substantial emotional or bodily pain to the victim while arousing or gratifying the person’s sexual desires.
What Are the Penalties for Object Rape in Utah?
Object rape is a first-degree felony in Utah. The penalty for a conviction of object rape is a minimum of five years in prison and a potential life sentence. If it is found that, during the object rape, serious bodily harm was caused to the victim, then the minimum sentence is fifteen years in prison, with the potential for a life sentence. If the defendant has a prior conviction for a “grievous sexual offense,” they face life in prison without parole.
With five years as a minimum prison sentence, you can see just how serious these charges are. If the accuser is a child, the minimum punishment for object rape becomes 25 years, with the possibility of life in prison without parole if the child suffered severe bodily injury. For a first-time offender or an offender under the age of 21, the judge has discretion to impose a six-year to a life sentence, a ten-year to a life sentence, or a 15-year to life sentence. The judge may apply one of these lesser sentences if justice warrants it.
What Should You Do When Charged with Object Rape?
If you have been charged with object rape in Salt Lake City, take the charges seriously and contact Conyers & Nix immediately. You have better chances of having the charges or penalties decreased. We will exhaustively investigate to determine whether the police made any mistakes during their investigation.
Perhaps you were not advised of your rights, or there was not a valid warrant for a search of your property. There is also the possibility that the alleged victim is not telling the truth about the object rape. We will work hard to find the holes and inconsistencies in the accuser’s story. Whatever your situation, say nothing to the police until you’ve had a chance to talk to an attorney.
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How a Salt Lake City Object Rape Attorney from Conyers & Nix Can Help
When you hire the legal team at Conyers & Nix, you will find that we speak to our clients differently. During your initial consultation, we will listen carefully while never being judgmental. We promptly answer calls, emails, and texts from our clients and work hard to set up our clients for success. Contact Conyers & Nix today.