OKLAHOMA SEX CRIMES DEFENSE LAWYER
Being accused of a sex crime is one of the most difficult allegations a person may endure. Your reputation may be tarnished in an instant, and your constitutional rights may be trampled as you await the outcome of an investigation and court proceedings. You may be removed from your own family and suspended from your job as you remain under a cloud of suspicion, regardless of whether the claims against you have any foundation in truth. To protect your rights and privileges, it is imperative that you find skillful defense representation as quickly as possible. Some people are afraid to hire a lawyer because they are afraid that doing so is an indication of guilt. However, hiring a defense lawyer does not mean that you have something to hide; rather, it means that you know and understand your rights, and you will not allow yourself to be unfairly prosecuted.
Unfortunately, when it comes to allegations of sexual assault or sex abuse, many people have a tendency to see the accused person as guilty until proven innocent—the opposite of how it should be. It is important to remember that your words—even the things you say to protest your innocence—can be used against you. By hiring a defense attorney, you protect yourself from making critical errors that could jeopardize your case, leading to possible criminal conviction and registration as an Oklahoma Sex Offender.
Whether the claim against you is the result of a vengeful false accusation, a mistake, or an error in your own judgment, attorney Ryan Coventon is committed to providing quality legal defense representation that can protect your rights and your reputation. A sex crimes case can quickly become a witch hunt. Protect yourself with aggressive and experienced defense.
Sex Offenses in Oklahoma
With few exceptions, most sex crimes in Oklahoma are prosecuted as felonies and are subject to mandatory sex offender registration for those convicted. Public indecency and prostitution are frequently charged as misdemeanors, but rape, sexual assault, and sex crimes against children are felonies punishable by lengthy prison sentences, including life in prison, and sex offender registration for life. If you are branded as a sex offender, you will face significant restriction even after your initial sentence has been served, and the label can make it difficult for you to move past the offense and create a fresh start.
As an experienced sex crime defense lawyer, Ryan Coventon represents individuals accused of Oklahoma sex offenses, including:
- Indecent Exposure
- Internet Sex Crimes
- Soliciting Minors Online
- Possession or distribution of child pornography
- Sexting
- Lewd or Indecent Acts with a Minor
- Lewd or Indecent Proposals to a Minor
- Rape
- Forcible Rape
- Second Degree Rape
- Statutory Rape
- Rape by Instrumentation
- Forcible Sodomy or Forcible Oral Sodomy
- Sexual Battery or Sexual Assault
- Child Molestation or Child Sexual Abuse
Under Oklahoma law, there are certain individuals who are legally unable to consent to sex. These include those under the age of 16, the state’s age of legal consent and those who have a mental incapacity to provide legal consent. Likewise, individuals in custody or under the guardianship of a state, county, or city agency are unable to provide legal consent to sex with an employee of that agency, and students are unable to provide legal consent to sex with a school district employee. These prohibitions are in place regardless of the age of the inmate, student, or other person indicated by the law. If a person violates the statutory rape laws, he or she is subject to felony prosecution for rape.
Rape in the First Degree is punishable by a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of life in prison without parole; however, existing statutes also allow the death penalty for First Degree Rape. Second Degree Rape, often known as statutory rape, is punishable by one to fifteen years in prison.
Although the age of consent in Oklahoma is 16, child pornography laws prohibit sexual images of anyone under the age of 18; this means that, while a 16-year-old may be able to give legal consent to sex, he or she cannot legally agree to appear in sexually explicit photographs or videos.
If a person uses a computer or other electronic device to perpetrate an internet sex crime, he or she may be subject to additional penalties for violating the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act.
Oklahoma Sex Offender Registration
Depending on the level of severity assigned to the offense by the Department of Corrections, a person convicted of a sex crime must register as a sex offender for a period of time ranging from fifteen years to life.
- Level 1: A person designated as a Level 1 offender is generally considered at low-risk of re-offending and is not considered to be a threat to public safety. Still, these people are required to register as a sex offender for a period of 15 years.
- Level 2: A Level 2 offender is considered to be a moderate risk to public safety as a possible re-offender. Anyone designated as a Level 2 offender must register as a sex offender for 25 years.
- Level 3: Considered the most severe category of sex offender, a Level 3 offender is a person considered to pose a serious threat to public safety and to carry the likelihood of habitual re-offense. Level 3 sex offenders are required to register as an Oklahoma sex offender for life.
Sex offender registration places strict limits and restrictions on convicted offenders. If you are a registered sex offender, your information will be publicly available, your driver’s license will carry the “Sex Offender” designation, and you will face serious restrictions in housing, employment, and ability to move freely about town without violating a “zone of safety” around schools, parks, libraries, and other places frequented by children.
The state’s sex offender registration laws are constantly evolving. It is important to understand your rights and responsibilities under the law. Your attorney can help you understand how to comply with the law and can protect you from arbitrary level assignment and unfair sex offender categorization.
If you or a loved one has been accused of a sex crime in Oklahoma, contact attorney Ryan Coventon for a free, confidential evaluation of your case. He is committed to protecting defendants’ rights in courtrooms across the state, and he will handle your case with discretion and diligence in pursuing a positive outcome.
