Over 100 Years
Greenville Sex Crime Defense Lawyers
Being investigated or charged with a sex crime can result in severe and long-lasting repercussions. It is important to contact a lawyer experienced in defending sex crimes as soon as you become aware of any investigation or charge.
Much like assault and battery, criminal sexual conduct charges in South Carolina vary in degrees depending upon the nature of the allegations. More information about the different criminal sexual conduct charges can be found here. A summary can be found below:
Charge | Key Elements | Penalty |
CSC with Minor 1st Degree | Sexual Battery + Victim is less than 11 years old Sexual Battery + Victim is less than 16 years old and defendant has been previous required to be on the sex offender registry | 25 – death or life imprisonment; or 10-30 years depending on which code section is charged and aggravating factors present |
CSC with Minor 2nd Degree | Sexual Battery + Victim is 11-14 years old Sexual Battery + Victim is 14 – 16 years old and defendant is in a position fo familial, custodial, or official authority to coerce the vicimd or is older than the victim | 0-20 years |
CSC with a Minor 3rd Degree (known as Lewd Act prior to 2012) | Victim under 16 years old, and defendant willfully and lewdly committed or attempted to commit a lewd or lascivious act with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of the child. | 0-15 years |
Criminal Solicitation of a Minor | Knowingly contacting, or attempting to contact a person under 18, or a person reasonably believed to be under 18, with the intent of persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing the person to engage in a sexual activity, or violent crime, or with the intent to perform a sexual activity in the presence of a person under 18 or reasonably believed to be under 18. | 0-10 years |
CSC 1st Degree | Sexual Battery + aggravated force or victim is also the victim or kidnapping, robbery, burglary, etc. or victim was caused (without their consent) to become mentally incapacitated by an intoxicating substance | 0-30 years |
CSC 2nd Degree | Sexual battery + aggravated coercion | 0-20 years |
CSC 3rd Degree | Sexual battery + coercion without aggravating circumstances, or defendant has reason to know that victim is mentally defective, incapacitated, or physically helpless but no aggravated force or coercion was used. | 0-10 |
As with any criminal case, you have the right to remain silent and retain a lawyer if you are under investigation for any alleged criminal sexual conduct. If you are being investigated or are charged, hiring a lawyer sooner rather than later can often make a difference in your case. Criminal sexual conduct cases are very serious and can have a significant impact on various aspects of your life. It is important to have lawyers who are experienced in CSC cases on your side from the beginning. Give our office a call at (864) 271-3535.