Sex crimes are inherently emotional and political. That’s why the number of crimes that require an offender to register as a sex offender in the state of Texas has risen dramatically in recent years. When someone is facing a sex crime charge, the first thing they should do is speak with an experienced sex crimes lawyer. Even if the charge doesn’t require sex offender registration right now, there’s a good chance that the law will be augmented to include additional crimes in the future.
It’s not at all uncommon for innocent defendants to be convicted of committing a sex crime in the state of Texas. Sex crimes receive special scrutiny by legislators and prosecutors. Sex crime laws are distinctive and require the attention of a sex crimes attorney. Among the growing number of sex crimes that require sex offender registration by the Texas Penal Code are the following:
There are a variety of other crimes that may require sex offender registration under certain circumstances, including aggravated kidnapping, burglary, unlawful restraint and conspiracy. Sex offender registration may be required even if the crime was committed outside the state of Texas. A repeat violation of certain crimes may also result in a requirement to register as a sex offender.
A convicted sex offender can be required to register as a sex offender in the state of Texas for either 10 years or a lifetime. Sex offender registration is not regarded as a punishment, so even though registration may not be required at the time of a plea deal or conviction, the registration requirement may be added later if the law suddenly changes. The sex offender registration requirement can also be increased from 10 years to life by the Texas legislature.
The state of Texas has the most stringent sex offender registration laws in the United States. Every legislative session seems to bring additional retroactive sex crime penalties. In most instances, even deferred adjudication is handled just like a conviction when it comes to sex crimes. Sex offender registration is also required while an appeal is in progress.
Many defendants are erroneously convicted of sex crimes because there are many incentives for accusers to improperly charge someone with sexual impropriety. This is especially true in custody cases. Other accusers may want to hide an act of consensual sex or gain financial advantage.
For an expert sex crimes defense in the Houston-area, call Brett Podolsky at 713-227-0087 for a free case evaluation.
