Dallas Aggravated Sexual Assault Lawyer

Aggravated sexual assault is among the most serious crimes in Texas. Suppose you are arrested for or charged with aggravated sexual assault. In that case, it shouldn’t be taken lightly: aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree felony punishable by a potentially decades-long prison sentence and a large fine. To protect your best interests and preserve your rights in your case, you should hire an experienced Dallas sexual assault attorney.

Attorney Lassiter of The Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter is an experienced Texas criminal defense attorney who will walk you through the steps of your case and build as strong a defense as possible for you. To discuss your legal options during a free consultation, contact us at (214) 845-7007 or through our online contact form.

What Is Aggravated Sexual Assault?

Under Texas law, if someone did not consent to sexual contact involving penetration, the perpetrator could be found guilty of sexual assault. Sexual assault becomes aggravated sexual assault if any of the following factors are found to have occurred or be true:

Serious bodily injury
Attempts to kill the victims
Threats of violence against the victim or someone else
Use of a deadly weapon
The victim was under the age of 14
The victim was elderly or disabled

Establishing Aggravated Sexual Assault

For someone to be convicted of aggravated sexual assault in Texas, the prosecution must establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knowingly or intentionally committed a sexual assault and that there was an aggravating factor. Failing to show that an aggravated sexual assault occurred beyond a reasonable doubt will result in the defendant being found not guilty of aggravated sexual assault.

Beyond a reasonable doubt means that the prosecution must establish the defendant’s guilt to the extent that a rational person would accept their guilt as fact. As a result, if the defense can provide even a shadow of a doubt, the defendant could be found not guilty.

Penalties for Aggravated Sexual Assault

Aggravated sexual assault is one of the most serious crimes that can be committed, and it will result in a first-degree felony charge. Anyone convicted of a first-degree felony in Texas can face between five and 99 years or life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In addition to the prison sentence, anyone found guilty of a first-degree felony can be fined up to $10,000.

However, for anyone convicted of aggravated sexual assault on a child younger than six years old or someone younger than 14 with an additional aggravating factor present, the minimum sentence is 25 years.

Aggravated Sexual Assault Charges for Juveniles

Juveniles who are at least 14 and have committed an aggravated sexual assault may be tried as adults. If a juvenile is tried as an adult, they can face the same penalties as adults in the same circumstances. Generally, a minor can be transferred to adult court if one of the following applies:

They are accused of a serious violent crime, like aggravated sexual assault.
They are not responding well to rehabilitation, which is unlikely to be effective.
They have a history of committing crimes, despite efforts toward rehabilitation.

Statute of Limitations for Aggravated Sexual Assault

Under Texas law, the statute of limitations provides prosecution a ten-year window to bring charges against the alleged assailant for sexual assault. However, because of the seriousness of aggravated sexual assault crimes, there is no statute of limitations. As a result, if someone commits an aggravated sexual assault, the prosecution has no time limit within which they must bring a criminal case against the alleged perpetrator.

How an Aggravated Sexual Assault Defense Attorney Can Help

A skilled and knowledgeable Dallas sex crimes attorney of The Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. We have experience representing clients and have had success getting their charges dismissed or reduced by providing the following:

Investigation into the events leading to the charges
Detailed interviews of any witnesses to the events leading to the charges
Collection and analysis of evidence that the prosecution can use and that we could use in your defense
Negotiation with the prosecution to have the charges reduced or dismissed before the trial begins
Preparation of any witnesses and you for trial
Vigorously defending you during trial

Defenses to Aggravated Sexual Assault

Dallas Aggravated Sexual Assault Lawyer 2 There are several ways someone can defend themselves against an aggravated sexual assault charge. However, the exact defenses available will depend on the circumstances of the case. Some common defenses to aggravated sexual assault include:

Consent: If the alleged victim consented to the sexual activity, it could not be considered an aggravated sexual assault because there was no sexual assault (unless they were under the age of consent). If the alleged victim was under the age of consent when the sexual activity occurred, regardless of whether the defendant believed there was consent, they could be charged with aggravated sexual assault. Under Texas law, the age of consent for sexual activities with an adult is 17 years of age.
False identification: Sometimes, people falsely identify their attacker. If that is the case, an experienced attorney can build a strong false identification defense to help get the case dismissed.
Alibi: Similarly to the defense of false identification, if the defendant was not in the exact location where the aggravated sexual assault occurred. They have a solid defense because they could not have committed the crime. An attorney will help collect evidence of the defendant’s location during the crime and use that evidence to get the charges dropped.

Contact a Dallas Aggravated Sexual Assault Attorney

Being charged with aggravated sexual assault can be extremely scary, and having an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side can make a substantial difference in the outcome of your case. The firm’s founding attorney, Mark Lassiter, was previously a Dallas County prosecutor, so he has a unique understanding of how prosecutors think and handle cases. As a result, having The Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter on your side will be an advantage when it comes to defending your case.

To discuss your legal options with a Dallas aggravated sexual assault lawyer and get your defense strategy started, contact us at (214) 845-7007 or through our online contact form.

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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