Sex Crime Defense Attorney in Dallas

Have you been charged with a sex crime? A lesser offense, like a Class B misdemeanor, can carry serious penalties, including fines and jail time. Plus, once you’ve paid your dues, you could still be registered as a sex offender. This status can affect your career opportunities, where you can live, and even your dating prospects.

If you’ve been arrested for a sex crime, you need the right legal advice to protect your rights. We can help. Contact Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter today at (214) 845-7007 for a confidential consultation with an experienced Dallas sex crimes lawyer.

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Types of Sex Crimes

There are a number of different sex crime charges that individuals may face, all of them extremely serious and requiring fast, effective legal attention. When facing the following charges, it is highly advised to seek the help of a qualified and capable defense team.

When You’ve Been Charged with a Sex Crime

Sex crimes are among the most notorious types of offenses, and Texas courts take a hard line against people charged with sexually-based offenses. Not only could you be going to jail, but you could also face a devastating loss of reputation in your community.

There’s no reason to risk your freedom, livelihood, home, or relationships by navigating the Texas criminal justice system alone. The police and prosecutors are not on your side, and the system can be overwhelming for many people. A Dallas sex crimes defense lawyer can help ensure that your rights are protected, demand fair treatment for you, and work to get the charges reduced or dismissed.

Why Choose Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter For Your Sex Crimes Lawyer in Dallas?

With your future on the line, you need the right Dallas criminal defense lawyer. The legal team at Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter has an impressive track record of courtroom victories for people charged with even the most serious crimes.

Firm leader Mark T. Lassiter, J.D., has a deep knowledge of Texas criminal law. He’s spent time on both sides of the aisle, working as a prosecutor for the Dallas County District Attorney’s office before opening Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter. His tough, tenacious, and compassionate approach to defending clients has earned him honors and accolades, such as being listed in the Who’s Who of America. He’s also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

What Should You Do After Being Charged with a Sex Crime?

If you’ve been arrested in connection with a sex crime, you might have been taken to the Dallas County Jail, located near Reunion Tower downtown. Nearby are several bail bondsman offices, so your friends or family may be able to get you released as you await trial. Not every bondsman is on the up-and-up, though. The Dallas County Bail Bonds Board has a list of licensed bondsmen in the Metroplex.

After an arrest, you’re guaranteed the right to have an attorney represent you. Your 6th Amendment right to counsel entitles you to a lawyer. You don’t have to answer police questions until a lawyer is present. It’s usually in your best interest to wait until you have legal counsel before answering questions, even if you know you didn’t do it.

Your next steps will likely depend on your Dallas defense lawyer’s advice, so listen closely. You may be advised to do the following:

Don’t talk about your arrest or charge, and don’t post on social media
Don’t try to contact the accuser
Don’t’ answer police questions without your attorney
Don’t agree to a search unless your lawyer tells you must. This includes refusing to allow police to collect your DNA.

Sex crimes are serious, and at Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, we take all these charges seriously. Our legal team is dedicated to providing our best efforts on your behalf.

How a Sex Crimes Attorney Can Help You

The circumstances of a sex crime in Texas may affect how your lawyer constructs your defense. Sometimes, there’s not much evidence, or it could be a case of your word against another person’s. In other cases, you may have been misidentified or gotten into trouble through no fault of your own.

As your Dallas criminal defense lawyers, we can help in some of the following ways:

We can investigate the incident independently to understand the situation better.
We can depose witnesses, questioning them under oath about anything they may have seen or heard.
We can look at the character of your accuser. Perhaps someone has an agenda against you and made false accusations. We may uncover information you were unaware of.
We can evaluate the details of any arrest or search and seizure by police. Were your rights violated? Were you the victim of an unlawful search or arrest? This could call into question some of the evidence against you.
We’ll work with the prosecutor for a plea deal so you may have a less serious penalty.
We’ll defend your rights and fight for you in court.

You have civil rights after being arrested for a sex crime, and we can help ensure that they’re protected.

Penalties for Sex Crime Convictions

The penalty you face will depend on various circumstances of the sex crime charge against you, such as:

The age of the victim
Your age
The sexual act that occurred
Your relationship with the victim
Prior sex crime convictions

Examples of misdemeanor sexual offenses include:

Indecent exposure
Prostitution
Solicitation of prostitution
Harassment
Sexting by a minor

The penalties for misdemeanor sex crime convictions are:

Class A misdemeanor: A maximum of one year in jail and $4,000 in fines.
Class B misdemeanor: Up to 180 days in jail and a maximum of a $2,000 fine.
Class C misdemeanor: Up to $500 in fines.

Examples of felony sexual offenses include:

Sexual assault
Aggravated sexual assault
Indecency with a child
Sex trafficking
Indecent contact with a child
Possession of child pornography

The penalties for felony sex crime convictions are:

First-degree: Between 5 and 99 years or life in prison and a maximum of $10,000 in fines.
Second-degree: A minimum of 2 years, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and up to $10,000 in fines.
Third-degree: 2 to 10 years in prison and a maximum of a $10,000 fine.
State jail felony: A minimum of 180 days and a maximum of 2 years in state jail with $10,000 in fines.

If you get released from jail or prison, you have to register as a sex offender with the Texas Sex Offender Registry. It might be difficult for you to find a job because most people don’t want to employ a convicted sex offender. You’re also not allowed to own a firearm, vote, or run for public office. If you want to return to school, your conviction could prevent you from college admission or applying for grants if you get accepted.

Sex Crime Defense Attorney in Dallas

Speak with a Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer in Dallas Today

If you stand accused of a sex crime, you do not have to accept the charges against you and the damage they will do to your freedom and your reputation in the community. Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter is here to help you. With a former prosecutor and “Top 100 Trial Lawyer” on your side, you can prove to a jury, the court, and society that you are not guilty of the charges levied against you. Why trust your case to an inexperienced attorney when you can have Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter on your side, fighting on your behalf? Let the experienced legal team at the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter help you prepare a strong and aggressive defense. Call us today at (214) 845-7007 to protect your freedom and fight these charges against you.

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TESTIMONIALS

Recommendation for Mark LassiterI am pleased to write a letter of recommendation. I highly recommend Mark Lassiter to others who are seeking such assistance. His representation allowed me to do very little in my case. It was Mark’s proven expertise and his legal knowledge that was valuable in getting my case dismissed. In short, I recommend Mark enthusiastically without reservation and I do believe he would be a valuable asset to you.

- Name Redacted

dear Markplease accept this letter on my and Susan’s behalf. there is a powerful message and testimony we would like to share with you for the first time.for over a year the weight of what happened to Reid was heavy on our souls. at first we held great anger, resentment and disgust toward Angel (the passenger). it became evident after turning 21 the Angel has a severe alcohol problem which my son nor us fully understood. The arrest also brought us great disappointment, frustration and disheartenment toward Reid.We have found that God often surprises us with his answers to our prayers. Prior to the arrest was had been in prayer that God help turn Reid away from selfishness, childishness and destructive ways. We prayed that God move to change him toward everlasting values and better choices in his life. We believe that God answered that prayer with the arrest. We blamed ourselves for bringing this calamity but understood it would take something this powerful to reach him. There is no doubt in our minds this ordeal has placed a permanent imprint on his soul.during the many delays associated with this case we were able to put forgiveness in our hearts toward Angel. Also during the many delays the full weight of the case in our and Reid’s mind triggered conversations pertaining to life decisions and direction. Time allowed us the opportunity to be rid of the noise and cloudiness of our emotions. We believe this to be a part of the master plan that God was overseeing.Only today did the full story become revealed. During this case with all the odds against us can we say without question that God was in it. How else could the series of events occurred within the judicial process that could put the opportunity in to your mind that there was a way to victory. The entire morning Susan and i were in fervent prayer even after your told us we had only a 25% chance of winning.Grace is the receipt of a blessing that is undeserved. Reid did not deserve to win today. We all are eternally marked by the message of grace given to us and you were the instrument that brought the gift to our house. Thank you from bottom of our souls and may God bless and keep you all of your days.

- Name Redacted

Dear Mr. Lassiter,Today you saved my son’s life. When he received a DWI, it broke my heart because I knew it would be on his record forever. It would limit his options in life. He would be paying for his stupid mistake for the rest of his life. At 21 years of age he was overwhelmed with the depth of the problem he created for himself.I decided to find him the best lawyer in Dallas, and I did. I researched lawyers for two days, and then I found you. I knew from the moment I read about you that you were the one we needed. When I met you, I knew instantly that I had complete confidence in you. Even if the result had ended with my son being guilty, I would have had peace knowing that he had had THE BEST lawyer.Listening to you “own” the courtroom today was amazing. You told us in the morning that we only had about 25% chance to win; however, by the middle of the afternoon the case was over before the prosecutors even finished, and we won! What an incredible lawyer you are!I will be grateful forever to you. Your work has given my son a second chance. He left the courtroom today with a whole new perspective on life…thanks to you!Very sincerely,

- Susan Ellis

unless you are already a petty criminal with countless B and C misdemeanors and a misdemeanor A pending, a DWI charge might not really matter much – for all the others counts: Fight it with all you got – get the best professional to your side you can find!Why should you? A simple google search “Texas DWI penalties” will give you an idea what you are looking at: prison, probation, fines, classes, ignition interlock, insurance rate skyrockets and a criminal record for life (yes – this can happen even for a first time DWI in Texas) Now if you read until this point you probably are charged with a DWI (or simply board) and you are shopping for a lawyer – so some basic guidance:a) Same as in real life: You want to be surrounded by people who know what they are talking about. Nobody likes people who constantly brag around, through around the usual business buzz words which doesn’t mean anything. So: Get somebody who is specialized in this field, means if 50% or more of his work is in the field of defending DWI’s that’s probably a good indicator– Mark is one of them – talk to him you will see!b) Educate yourself – thanks to a wonderful innovation by DARPA (which you are using in this moment) you can read all about it: What happened the night before, what’s a SFT, what is a legal stop, how does an Intoxilyzer 5000 work and what flaws does it have, possible plea bargain options (not so tempting ones in TX anyway) – read the stuff, it’s out there and discuss it with your attorney – if he doesn’t want or can’t answer your questions, that’s a pretty good indicator that your sitting in the wrong office, run!– Mark WILL answer your questions – and I’m convinced you cannot surprise him with a question in your case that he can’t answer or will find an answer for you!c) Your lawyer should – more or less – from the beginning be willing to take your case to Trial, all the way. What do you have to lose? If you are a BAC 0.28 candidate and you plea it down to a misdemeanor B it technically looks better on paper – but it will still follow you for life (most employers wouldn’t even consider the difference or know it – a DWI is a DWI…) If you are a BAC 0.09 candidate your chances are even better – (did you know the Intoxilyzer 5000 gives himself a +-0.02 calibration margin? What now, is a BAC 0.09 and hour after driving now under the legal limit? Guess what, the state will state “off course NOT! The magic machine proved he’s Intoxicated and guilty!” That’s why you need a lawyer on your side who is willing to take it to trial!– Mark is a trial lawyer – those people don’t want to plea out, they need the courtroom as their stage, that’s what they love to do, that’s what they are good at – so let him do it for you!d) Money / Costs – completely neglect. This is not the time for price comparison. You are not out there to shop for new hardwood floor for your living room – you are out there to get the best possible outcome in a situation which initial will hurt you if convicted pretty bad (financially), possible cost you your job, destroy your reputation and will follow you around for the rest of your natural life.– Mark will not overcharge you for his service, in my opinion you are getting a great deal. If you have the feeling you cannot afford a lawyer like Mark put it into perspective: if you hire a $500 lawyer and plead guilty maybe to a DWI misdemeanor B, you will pay much more over the years in court costs, classes, probation fees, DPS surcharges, insurance and and and… But if you hire Mark, you have one of the best at your side, you have a real chance – off course Mark isn’t a magic wizard who can make everything go away in a moment’s notice, but 5,10,20 years down the road you don’t want to think “oh boy, I wish I would have fought this thing more aggressively back then…” I was already a bit into my case when I met Mark. Mark has a can do attitude, does not try to beat around the bush and most importantly: He looks at things, tries different avenues, seeks out weaknesses in the case base on the evidence presented – if you meet him, you will have the same experience. During our meetings we discussed alternatives and other options e.g. expert witnesses, jury trial, bench trial, plea agreement (even if he didn’t like that – Mark doesn’t want to plea, he wants to win for his clients)And here is the outcome:A clear acquittal – NOT GUILTY(even better than a dismissal which technically can be reopened by the DA within the statute of limitations – if I understood that right – Not guilty means you are not guilty, case expunged – that’s the end of it!)Mark’s services helped me to get the best possible outcome you can expect when you are charged with a (DWI / DUI) crime and I hope I will never see him again….. (under such circumstances J ) –

- Daniel

I would never use or recommend anyone else for anybody else for a criminal manner.

- Cory M.

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