Defending You Against Serious Sex Crimes In Wicomico County & The Eastern Shore Of MD

Sex crimes charges are often investigated and pursued aggressively by police and prosecutors in Maryland. These offenses may include rape, sexual assault, child molestation, prostitution/solicitation, child pornography, etc.

Once you have been charged with a sex crime, you will have to register as a sex offender on the Maryland Sex Offender Registry. This can make your life very difficult by preventing you from securing housing and employment and branding you as a threat to society. At Britt Criminal Defense we will use every available resource to combat these charges.

Were You Accused of Rape?

First degree rape is defined as unconsented vaginal intercourse by force or threat of force while also doing one of the following: using a dangerous weapon, inflicting serious injury, threatening to kidnap, committing the crime with the aid of someone else, or committing the crime during a burglary. If convicted, you face a felony conviction and a prison term of up to life. If the victim is under 16, the penalty is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Second degree rape is defined as engaging in unconsented vaginal intercourse by force or threat of force with another. It also includes vaginal intercourse with victims who are mentally or physically incapacitated where the offender is aware of the condition. If found guilty, you face a felony conviction and up to 20 years in prison.

Sexual Assault

A first degree sexual assault offense is a crime that involves a sexual act other than vaginal intercourse committed by force, threat of force, or use of a weapon. If found guilty, you face a felony conviction and up to life in prison.

A second degree sexual assault offense is defined as unconsented to anal intercourse, analingus, cunnilingus, or fellatio with another individual by force or threat of force. This also includes performing these sexual acts on a victim who is mentally or physically incapacitated where the offender is aware of the condition, or with victims younger than 14 where the offender is at least 4 years older than the victim. If found guilty, you face a felony conviction and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

A third-degree sexual assault offense is a nonconsensual sexual contact involving the threat of bodily harm, kidnapping, or other aggravating factors. If found guilty, you are subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years.

A fourth-degree sexual assault is unwanted, nonconsensual sexual contact such as fondling. The penalty of such a sexual assault is imprisonment of a maximum of one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

Sex Crime Defenses

Sex crime accusations often come down to he said/she said, or DNA evidence. Here are a few strategies we may pursue:

• the accuser was trying to establish an upper hand in divorce proceedings or other dispute related to family law
• the accuser consented to the sexual act or conduct
• there are inconsistencies in the accuser’s story; witnesses can testify about the person’s history of lying or about the history of your relationship with the accuser
• the accuser lied about his or her age; used a fake id
• case of mistaken identity
• there were faulty forensic testing methods and conclusions drawn (particularly regarding DNA evidence and rape kits)