Criminal Defense Lawyer For Sex Crime Charges In Fort Walton Beach, Destin & Elsewhere In Okaloosa County

Simply being accused of a sexually motivated offense, whether as an adult or a juvenile, is nothing short of disastrous, and the legal consequences of a criminal conviction can even more devastating.

It is something we hope never would happen, being accused of a horrible crime that you did not commit. Unfortunately, it happens more often than anyone would ever want to know. In my many years of criminal defense legal practice, I have seen it over and over again.

The reason this is so is because it is relatively easy to make a verbal allegation of sexual contact to law enforcement. Then the police are mandated to file a criminal complaint, even when there is no physical evidence. Then a cursory investigation is completed and an arrest warrant is sought.

And there you have it. A false accusation has put in motion a chain of events that could lead to a life-altering, potentially catastrophic and nightmarish experience for the person accused.

Once this prosecution train is rolling in a sex based criminal case, it is very difficult to derail it. Law enforcement, specialized sex crime investigators and prosecutors that handle these types of cases…this is all they do and even though it is their ethical duty to seek justice, all too often they are motivated solely to convict the defendant.

It could be the most important decision of your life, and you know it is going to be an uphill battle. That is why you are seeking out the best attorney to help you get the best result in your specific case. With sex crimes, each individual case is unique, that’s why experience matters most. You need to have your defense specifically customized to your circumstances and the people that are trying to send you to prison.

I have fought in the trenches for clients charged with sexually motivated crimes. I am an accomplished litigator and trial strategist and will never give up and never stop working to help his clients. Call me today for a free consultation if you or a loved one are facing allegations of committing a sex crime in Okaloosa County, Walton County, or Santa Rosa County; or live in the communities of Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Crestview, Niceville, Freeport, or Defuniak Springs, Florida.

I can offer help for any type of sexually based offense and have represented clients on virtually every type of sex charge under Florida Law. I can also offer assistance in the event you fear a sex based allegation has been made against you, but you have not yet been charged.

• Indecent Exposure, Exposure of Sexual Organs
• Solicitation of Prostitution, Offering to Engage in Prostitution
• Video Voyeurism

• Lewd and Lascivious Conduct
• Lewd and Lascivious Exhibition
• Lewd and Lascivious Enticement
• Lewd and Lascivious Molestation (Sexual Molestation)
• Lewd and Lascivious Battery (Sexual Battery on a Minor)
• Lewd and Lascivious Assault (Sexual Assault on a Minor)
• Lewd, Lascivious, Indecent Assault or Act Upon or in the Presence of Child
• Unlawful Sexual Activity with Certain Minors
• Soliciting Child for Sexual Conduct Using Computer or Device
• Traveling to Meet a Minor
• Sexual Battery (Victim Less Than 12 Years of Age), Sexual Battery (Victim 12 Years of Age or Older)
• Sexual Battery (Victim 12 Years of Age or Older with Great Force)
• Sexual Battery (Upon Child Over 12 but under 18 by Person in Familial or Custodial Authority)
• Sexual Battery (Defendant 12 Years of Age or Older)
• Capital Sexual Battery (Child under 12 years old)

• Sexual Battery on an Adult, Sexual Assault, Rape, Date Rape, Statutory Rape
• Failure to Register as a Sexual Offender, Failure to Register as a Sexual Predator
• Failure to Report a Change in Address for a Designated Sex Offender
• Possession of Child Pornography, Promotion of Child Pornography
• Solicitation of a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct, Molestation, or Sexual Battery
• Committing Unnatural and Lascivious Act

The potential penalties for sex crimes in Florida can vary significantly and greatly depend on the relative ages of the defendant and the alleged victim. But in any felony case, significant prison time and the designation as a sex offender is what you are facing. Score sheet guidelines raise the stake for any sex crime because of additional points that can greatly increase sentencing exposure. Not to mention that a conviction of Capital Sexual Battery requires a minimum mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

And nearly all felony based sex crime convictions also require a lifetime sex offender designation. And nearly all sex offender designations require, pursuant to the Jessica Lunsford Act (JLA), the wearing of a GPS monitor at all times while the defendant is on probation or community control, as well as sex offender treatment and counseling, mandatory DNA testing, restricted travel, restricted internet services, and the list goes on…

Call a knowledgeable and experienced criminal defense attorney that you can trust to handle your case properly. Contact Attorney Shawn Lupella today for a free consultation to discuss your options if you or a family member has been charged with a sex crime in Fort Walton Beach, Destin, or anywhere in Okaloosa County or Walton County – (850) 362-6655.

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