Indiana Child Molestation Lawyer

Why Hire Our Child Molestation Lawyer in Indiana?

Being charged with child molestation is one of the most serious allegations a person can face in Indiana. Your professional life and relationships with loved ones can be destroyed. Penalties are serious and can include years behind bars.

If you are facing child molestation charges, reach out to an experienced Indiana sex crimes attorney for help. The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley PC understands the high stakes involved and can begin mounting an immediate defense on your behalf, even before formal charges are ever filed.

Contact us today for a confidential consultation.

How Our Indiana Child Molestation Attorneys Help People Facing These Charges

If you are facing serious charges of this nature, it is important that you work with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can aggressively protect your rights. We can examine the allegations against you to identify false claims. We can protect you from aggressive police interrogations and prevent you from doing or saying anything that could weaken your defense. You can count on us to zealously fight for you at every stage of the process.

Our law firm includes former prosecutors and lawyers who have been certified as Board-Certified Criminal Trial Specialists by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. We can use our extensive knowledge and skills to develop a customized legal strategy for your defense.

Learn more about how we can help when you contact us for a confidential consultation.

How Is Child Molestation Defined In Indiana?

IN Code § 35-42-4-3 defines the offense of child molestation as knowingly or intentionally performing or submitting to sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct with a child under 14 years old. Other sexual conduct is defined as an act involving a sex organ of one person and the mouth or anus of another or the penetration of the sex organ or anus of a person by an object. This offense is typically charged as a Level 3 felony.

However, the offense can be elevated to a Level 1 felony if any of the following apply:

The defendant was 21 or older.
The defendant used or threatened the use of deadly force or while armed with a deadly weapon.
The act results in serious bodily injury.
The act was facilitated by furnishing the alleged victim with a drug or controlled substance or when knowing the victim had a drug or controlled substance and the victim was not aware of this.
The act causes the transmission of a serious sexually transmitted disease and the defendant knew they had the disease.

Other Child Sex Crimes In Indiana

Indiana has similar laws to child molestation that a person can be charged with. Sexual misconduct with a minor is defined under Indiana Code § 35-42-4-9 as someone 18 or older performing or submitting to any fondling or touching with a child under 16 for the purpose of arousing or satisfying the sexual desires of themselves or the child. The offense is considered a Level 6 felony unless the defendant is 21 or older, in which case it is charged as a Level 5 felony. However, the offense is considered a Level 2 felony if it was committed by using or threatening the use of deadly force, the defendant was armed with a deadly weapon, or the offense was facilitated by furnishing a drug or controlled substance without the child’s knowledge.

A person who was at least 18 and engaged in sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct with a child under 16 is also considered to commit the crime of sexual misconduct with a minor, which is a Level 5 felony in Indiana unless the defendant is 21 or older, in which case it is a Level 4 felony. If the offense is committed with aggravating factors, it can be elevated to an even more serious felony offense.

Indiana Code § 35-42-4-6 defines the offense of child solicitation as engaging in sexual intercourse, other sexual conduct, or fondling or touching for the purpose of arousing or satisfying their sexual desires or that of the child when the defendant is at least 18 years old and the alleged victim is under 14 years old. Solicit means communicating with the minor in person, on phone, in writing, by using a computer network, or using an advertisement for these purposes. The crime is generally a Level 5 felony but can be elevated to a Level 4 felony under certain circumstances.

Penalties For Child Molestation And Other Sex Crimes In Indiana

Between 20 to 40 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 for a Level 1 felony
Between 10 and 30 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 for a Level 2 felony
Between 3 and 16 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 for a Level 3 felony
Between 2 and 12 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000 for a Level 4 felony
Between 1 and 6 years imprisonment and a fine up to $10,000 for a Level 5 felony
Between 6 months and 2.5 years imprisonment and a fine up to $10,000 for a Level 6 felony

Additionally, a person convicted of child molestation in Indiana can be subject to other consequences, including:

Being classified as a credit restricted felon, which can require you to serve out most of your sentence
Having to register as a sex offender, which can affect your ability to get a job and live peacefully
Being designated as a sexually violent predator or offender against children, requiring you to register for life

The Criminal Defense Team will work tirelessly to protect you from these harsh consequences.

Contact Our Indiana Child Molestation Lawyers To Begin Mounting A Solid Defense

If you are facing criminal charges for child molestation, do not hesitate to reach out for legal help. Our criminal defense team is ready to build a solid defense for you and protect your rights.

Indiana Child Molestation Attorney