Houston Sexual Assault Defense Attorney

Sexual Assault Lawyer in the City of Houston, TX, Stands Up for the Rights and Reputation of Clients Charges with Sex Offenses  in Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, and Throughout Texas

Have you been accused or charged with sexual assault? Sexual assault is one of the most serious criminal offenses in Texas law. A conviction can result in significant penalties, although merely facing prosecution for sexual assault can have a devastating impact on your reputation. You need a legal advocate to help you protect your interests. Turn to a Houston sexual assault defense attorney from Chernoff Law for help.

I am attorney Ed Chernoff. For over 35 years, I have practiced law in the criminal justice system here in Texas and nationwide. Over my career, I have worked on thousands of criminal cases and brought hundreds of them to trial. Both my knowledge and experience have earned me a Board Certification in Criminal Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. I started my legal career as a prosecutor with the Harris County DA’s office, spending five years as one of the top-performing attorneys and gaining a unique insight into how the government prepares and pursues criminal charges. Today, I use my insight, experience, and knowledge to provide a tough legal defense for my clients.

Don’t jeopardize your reputation and freedom due to sexual assault charges. Reach out to my criminal defense firm for an initial case evaluation with a sexual assault lawyer in the city of Houston, TX, to learn more about your legal options for contesting your charges. 

What Is Sexual Assault?

Title 5, Section 22.011 is Texas’s sexual assault statute. The statute defines the offense as intentionally or knowingly:

• Penetrating the anus or sexual organ of another person without their consent
• Penetrating another person’s mouth with the perpetrator’s sexual organ, without that other person’s consent
• Causing a person’s sexual organ to contact or penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the perpetrator
• Penetrating the anus or sexual organ of a child
• Penetrating the mouth of a child with the perpetrator’s sexual organ
• Causing a child’s anus or mouth to contact with the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of another person, including the perpetrator

The statute further defines lack of consent as:

• Forcing a person to submit or participate by the use of physical force, violence, or coercion, or through a credible threat of use of force or violence against the person
• Forcing a person to submit or participate by a credible threat of force or violence against another person
• A person who is unconscious or physically unable to resist
• A person who, due to a mental disease or defect, is incapable of understanding the nature of a sexual act or resisting it
• Administering any substance to a person without their knowledge with the intent to impair that person’s ability to understand or control their conduct
• Use of a public servant, healthcare provider, clergy, coach, tutor, or caregiver position to coerce or exploit a person to submit or participate

Penalties for a Sexual Assault Conviction in Texas

Sexual assault is normally graded as a second-degree felony, which carries a sentence of imprisonment for two to 20 years, and a potential fine of up to $10,000. However, the grading of the offense increases to a first-degree felony if the victim was a person that the perpetrator was prohibited from marrying or living as a married couple under bigamy laws, or was prohibited from sexual intercourse under incest laws. Penalties for a first-degree felony include imprisonment for life, or a term of 5 to 99 years, and a potential fine of up to $10,000.

Sexual assault can also be graded as a state jail felony if the assault involves a healthcare services provider performing an assisted reproductive procedure using human reproductive material that the patient has not consented to use. Penalties for a state jail felony include a state jail term of 180 days to two years and a potential fine of up to $10,000.

A sexual assault conviction will also have a requirement to register as a sex offender. Depending on the specifics of the crime, an offender may be subject to a 10-year registration requirement or a lifetime registration requirement. 

How Can An Experienced Attorney Defend You Against Allegations of Sexual Assault?

A sexual assault conviction can have long-lasting consequences. You deserve experienced legal advice and advocacy from a sexual assault lawyer in the City of Houston, TX, who will work tirelessly to protect your reputation and future. Turn to my firm for help with all the details of facing your sexual assault charges, including:

• Getting answers to questions about your charges and learning what to expect during the criminal justice process
• Investigating your case and securing evidence that can be used to build your defense
• Protecting your constitutional rights by moving to exclude prosecution evidence that was obtained in an unlawful search or interrogation
• Vigorously pursuing a favorable resolution to your sexual assault charges, whether by negotiating a plea deal if appropriate or using my extensive courtroom experience to advocate in your defense at trial if you choose to fight your charges

Contact a Houston Sexual Assault Defense Attorney to Discuss the Details of Your Charges

Contact me today for a confidential consultation to learn more about what a Houston sexual assault defense attorney can do to help you pursue a favorable resolution to your case. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Facing Sexual Assault Charges in Houston, TX