Facing charges for a sex crime in Arkansas, such as rape, sexual assault, and molestation, can be incredibly serious. Defendants convicted of sex crimes face lengthy prison sentences and significant fines. Additionally, those convicted of sex crimes face spending a lifetime as a convicted sex offender in Arkansas. Sex crimes accusations can result in lost job opportunities, difficulty renting housing, and a breakdown in personal and familial relationships. Due to the nature of sex crimes, convicted sex criminals often experience a ruining of their reputation.
At the Law Offices of Bryce Cook, we understand how devastating a sex crime conviction and believe that all defendants deserve a fair trial. Founding attorney Bryce Cook fights hard to protect the civil rights of sex crime defendants and ensure they’re treated fairly by the Arkansas court system. We treat all clients with dignity and respect regardless of the circumstances surrounding their criminal charges for sex crimes. Whether prosecutors have charged you with rape, molestation, child pornography, sexual assault, or any other sex crime in Arkansas, we can help. Contact our Jonesboro, Arkansas, criminal defense law firm today to learn how we can defend you today.
Serious Representation for Arkansas Sex Crimes
The stakes are high for those accused of sexual crimes in Arkansas. After a careful review of the circumstances in each client’s case, we recommend the best way to proceed. Although we are committed to winning an acquittal, we are prepared to negotiate plea deals when necessary.
At the Law Offices of Bryce Cook, we represent defendants charged with the following sex crimes throughout Arkansas:
- Statutory rape
- Date rape
- Sexual assault
- Indecent exposure
- Molestation
- Child pornography
- Prostitution
- Solicitation
- Failure to register as a sex offender
Criminal Defense for Rape Charges in Arkansas
Rape is one of the most serious sexual crimes in Arkansas. Under Arkansas’ criminal code, the crime of rape involves the defendant engaging in sexual intercourse or deviant sexual activity with another person:
- By forcible compulsion
- Who isn’t able to consent due to being mentally defective or incapacitated or physically helpless
- Who is younger than age 14 at the time of the incident, or
- Who is a minor when the offender is the victim’s guardian or relative
Arkansas law defines rape as penetration of the labia majora by a penis. It does not matter how slight the penetration is for it to be considered rape. Deviant sexual activity involves any act of sexual gratification involving penetration of the mouth or anus of a person by the penis, body part, or foreign instrument used by another person. A conviction of rape is a Class Y felony. Under Arkansas law, Class Y felonies are punishable by a prison sentence of 10 to 40 years or life in prison. The stigma of a rape conviction can cause significant difficulties in job seeking, renting, and in a person’s social life.
Criminal Defense for Sexual Assault in Arkansas
Under Arkansas criminal law, sexual assault refers to any crime in which the defendant subjects a victim to unwanted sexual activity. Arkansas’ criminal code categorizes sexual assault into four different degrees based on severity. First-degree sexual assault is the most serious and comes with the most severe penalties. Fourth-degree assault convictions result in the least serious consequences.
First-degree sexual assault is a class A felony, the most severe type of sexual assault. First-degree sexual assault included engaging in sexual intercourse or deviant sexual activity with a minor. The offender must work for the department of corrections or be a mandatory reporter, teacher, or person in authority over the minor.
Second-degree sexual assault is a class B felony and includes engaging in sexual contact by compulsion with forcible compulsion. Second-degree sexual assault can also include engaging in sexual contact with another person who is incapable of consent because he or she is:
- Physically helpless
- Mentally defective, or
- Mentally incapacitated
Child Pornography Charges in Arkansas
Accusations of child pornography crimes in Arkansas are incredibly severe. Per Arkansas’ criminal code, it is illegal for any person to engage children in sexually explicit conduct. Persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce content that depicts sexually explicit conduct is a crime in Arkansas. A defendant convicted of this crime will be guilty of a Class B felony for the first offense. Subsequent offenses result in a Class A felony charge.
Distributing, viewing, or possessing child pornography that depicts sexually explicit conduct involving a child is also a criminal activity in Arkansas. Possession or distribution of child pornography is a Class C felony for a first-time offense and a Class B felony for any subsequent offenses. Class B felonies carry a prison sentence of between 5 and 20 years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. A defendant convicted of a Class C felony may be subject to a prison sentence between 3 and 10 years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Contact Our Experienced Sex Crimes Attorney Today
At the Law Offices of Bryce Cook, we work hard to build effective criminal defense strategies for our clients. Unfortunately, false rape and sexual abuse accusations do happen. Sometimes false accusations come from a vindictive ex-spouse or family members. In these instances, we can often easily refute false allegations. We investigate our clients’ cases to unearth any relevant evidence that proves the innocence of our clients.
We firmly believe that Arkansas courts should protect the rights of every defendant in every circumstance. That’s why we work incredibly hard to prepare aggressively for trial. Founding attorney Bryce Cook has extensive experience negotiating favorable plea deals on behalf of his clients. Should the case proceed to trial, his extensive trial experience ensures that his clients receive excellent representation. If you are facing criminal charges for a sexual crime in Jonesboro, Arkansas, we can provide you an excellent legal defense.