Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
A former Jacksonville school security officer originally charged with two serious felony sex crimes pleaded guilty this month to significantly reduced charges. The guard, 25, was fired and charged after a 17-year-old high school senior went to police about her sexual relationship with the man, according to a report in the Florida Times-Union. The girl said when she tried to end the relationship with the man, he started sending her nude pictures of herself and that he also submitted them as messages through Facebook. As a result, the man was charged with unlawful sex with a minor and transmission of material harmful to a minor via electronic device, the newspaper reported. Duval County unlawful sex with a minor is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and the charge related to the nude photos is a third-degree felony with a maximum penalty of five years in state prison. Equally important is that both Jacksonville Sex Crimes charges would have required the man to register as a sexual offender for the rest of his life.
The defendant ended up pleading guilty instead this month to a child neglect charge and the misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Child neglect in Jacksonville is a felony, but the man is having his adjudication withheld, which means if he meets conditions of his three-year probation and follows all of the rules, the conviction will not be on his record. Avoiding a conviction or plea to a Jacksonville Sex Crimes Case is extremely important, especially with a defendant who is 25 years old. A Jacksonville Sex Crime can stick with a person forever. As a registered sex offender, a person has to check in with police at least twice a year – depending on the severity of his or her crime. The most publicly humiliating piece is that every time a sex offender moves houses or apartments, he or she must tell police. Police then notify nearby neighbors that a sex offender has moved in, and include the name of the person, where he or she now lives and the description of the Jacksonville Sex Crime that has made the person a sex offender. That makes it difficult for a person to move on with his or her life. Now there are certainly sex offenders that the public should be aware of. But does that need to apply under no uncertain terms for a 25-year-old man having sex with a 17-year-old?
Jacksonville Sex Crimes have lasting consequences. Our Jacksonville Sex Crimes Attorney knows the ins and outs of what registering as a sex offender entails, so she can advise you or your loved one about the options in a case and you can decide if the conditions are worth trying to negotiate or if a trial is the best move.
If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Duval County Sex Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.