If you were accused of sexual assault, your entire life could be negatively impacted. Your employers, coworkers, classmates, friends, and family might lose trust in you.
A conviction could limit your social and professional opportunities for the rest of your life. With the Houston sexual assault lawyer from Blass Law on your side, you can avoid the detrimental consequences of a criminal conviction.
Sexual assault charges should not be taken lightly, so you’ll want our Houston sex crime lawyer on hand to defend your rights from the very beginning. Don’t wait to protect your future – call us now for honest legal advice and a confidential case evaluation.
Why Jay Cohen Is the Right Sexual Assault Attorney for You
Jay Blass Cohen has always been and will always be committed to defending people in Houston and throughout Texas. That is why he has been a defense attorney throughout his entire career rather than serving as a prosecutor and then switching sides.
Our Houston criminal defense lawyer fights for the best possible outcome in every single case. Not only is he well-versed in building strong criminal defense strategies, he has earned the following qualifications, among others:
- Superlawyer
- 10.0 Avvo rating
- Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Our mantra is Keeping Innocent People Innocent. We’re dedicated to it, and we’re good at it. One of our past cases involved someone who was accused of continuous sexual assault of a child. The case went to trial in front of a Harris County jury, and our client was found not guilty.
We’ll fight hard on your behalf, no matter the specific criminal charges against you.
What a Sexual Assault Lawyer From Our Firm Does to Protect Your Rights
Our sexual assault attorney in Houston does everything possible to protect you from the harsh penalties associated with sex crimes. Count on Jay Blass Cohen and the Blass Law team to:
- Explain what to expect throughout your case so that you’re prepared for each step of the legal process
- Gather evidence to support your defense
- Build a defense strategy that aims to keep you out of jail
- Explain the laws that apply to your case
- Answer all your questions, ensuring you’re well-informed about any case decisions you need to make
- Fighting your case in front of a jury at trial
- Assess the details of your case to determine any violations of your rights
- Negotiating a favorable plea deal
- Preparing you and any witnesses for trial
- Keeping you updated about any developments in your case
When you hire our team, we do not back down. Blass Law fights for the case outcome you deserve. Call for a confidential consultation now.
Evidence Collection in Sex Crime Cases
Both the prosecution and the defense will be collecting evidence. The prosecution does so with the intention of securing a guilty verdict. Know that you have rights during the evidence collection process: if investigators violate those rights by, for example, entering your home without a warrant, our team could fight to suppress whatever materials they collected during that search so the prosecution cannot use them.
Our Houston aggravated sexual assault lawyer will search for evidence that supports the best possible outcome in your case, whether that is a not-guilty verdict or a pretrial dismissal of charges. Potential evidence includes:
- Expert, witness, and character witness testimony
- DNA evidence collected at the scene
- The results of a sexual assault forensic exam
- Houston Police Department reports
- Surveillance footage or cell phone records that establish your whereabouts
Penalties You Could Face if You Are Found Guilty of Sexual Assault in Houston, TX
According to Texas Penal Code 22.011, you could face second- or first-degree felony charges if you are found guilty of sexual assault in Houston. You face first-degree felony charges if you are convicted of aggravated sexual assault. Offenses like these come with penalties that include:
- Up to 20 years in prison for a second-degree felony
- Up to $10,000 in fines for a second- or first-degree felony
- Up to 99 years in prison for a first-degree felony
You may also be required to register as a sexual offender with the Texas Sex Offender Registration Program. Generally, you will have to include your name, address, and a photo of yourself. This information is accessible to the public, so anyone who knows your name will be able to find your information on the sex offender registry.
Our Houston sexual assault lawyer works to protect our clients from these penalties.
Allegations involving minors are among the most serious and emotionally charged accusations in the criminal justice system. If you are facing such charges, a Houston sexual assault of a child lawyer can provide the focused legal defense needed to protect your rights and ensure your case is handled with the utmost care and urgency.
Additional Consequences of a Houston Sexual Assault Conviction
You might face more than just legal penalties if you are found guilty of sexual assault. Some of the non-legal consequences of a criminal record include the following:
- You might lose any professional licenses you hold.
- You could have trouble securing housing.
- You might not be able to keep your current job, and finding a new one might be troublesome.
- You could lose scholarships and memberships to campus organizations, and applying to colleges might be more difficult for you.
- If you have children, you could lose custody of them, and your rights to visit them might be limited.
When you hire Blass Law, our legal team is on your side, fighting to ensure your life is not upended by criminal accusations.
Will I Lose My Job Even if I’m Not Convicted of Sexual Assault?
It’s possible that you will lose your job, regardless of whether the charges were dropped or you received a not-guilty verdict. Texas is an “at-will employment” state, which means your employer can terminate your employment for almost any reason.
However, you should remember that you will almost certainly lose your job if you are convicted. Even the most understanding boss likely won’t keep your job unfilled while you’re behind bars.
This is why you want our dedicated, local criminal defense law firm on your case as soon as possible.
What Other Sex Crimes Could Land Me in Jail or Prison?
There are several charges related to sexual assault that could end with you behind bars:
- Statutory rape
- Sex trafficking
- Sexual abuse
- Indecency with a minor
- Child pornography (possession or distribution)
- Solicitation of a minor
If you face multiple sex crime charges, your case could be much more complex than cases that involve a single charge. Blass Law has been defending the people of Houston since 2009, so you can trust that we have the knowledge and experience to advocate for you.
Defenses Our Law Firm Uses Against Sexual Assault Accusations
Once we understand the details of your case, our criminal defense attorney starts building your defense strategy. Some of the defenses we use against sexual assault charges include:
- Mistaken identity. If you were misidentified as the perpetrator, we will do everything we can to prove that someone else committed this crime.
- Alibi. We might work to establish that you were not at the crime scene and, therefore, did not commit the assault.
- Consent. In some cases, we prove that our client did, in fact, have consent.
- Violation of your rights. If the police failed to respect your rights at any point in the investigation, arrest, or indictment, we will use that fact to argue for your immediate release.
Who Should Hire Our Sex Crimes Lawyer in Houston?
If you have been charged with or arrested for sexual assault, it is clear that you could benefit from our services. Those who have not been charged yet but suspect they soon will be should also contact our firm. That includes people who know or are closely associated with a suspect in a sexual assault case.
Third-party liability in sexual assault cases could extend to:
- Educational institutions
- Religious institutions
- Healthcare facilities
- Employers
- Property owners
These parties are responsible for others: they must protect anyone in their care (e.g., children or patients), and they must make sure employees act appropriately and discipline employees who behave irresponsibly. Any alleged failure to perform either or both of these duties could lead to criminal charges and other legal problems.
For example, if you are an administrator at a school where a teacher was recently arrested for assaulting a student, now is the right time to consult Blass Law about your legal options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Assault Charges in Houston
When you contact our firm, we provide honest, unvarnished responses to your questions. Below is some basic legal information that will give you a better idea of why hiring legal representation is so important in your case:
How Does Texas Law Define Sexual Assault?
Texas Penal Code 22.011 states that a person has committed sexual assault if they knowingly or intentionally and without consent:
- “causes the penetration of” another person’s sexual organ or anus in any way
- “causes the penetration of” another person’s mouth with their (the actor’s) sexual organ
- “causes the sexual organ of another person” to penetrate someone else’s mouth, sexual organ, or anus
You can also face sexual assault charges if you allegedly engaged in sexual acts with someone you are legally prohibited from marrying, “living with under the appearance of being married,” or engaging in sexual intercourse with (e.g., a family member, such as a child or stepchild, parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle, cousin, or niece or nephew).
How Does Texas Law Define Aggravated Sexual Assault?
Per Texas Penal Code 22.021, you could face aggravated sexual assault charges if you allegedly committed any of the actions detailed in Texas Penal Code 22.011 AND one or more of the following factors were present:
- You allegedly caused serious bodily injury or death.
- You allegedly threatened the alleged victim with trafficking, kidnapping, serious bodily harm, or death.
- You allegedly used or brandished a deadly weapon.
- The alleged victim was under 14, regardless of whether you knew their age or not.
- The alleged victim is elderly or disabled.
What Constitutes “Without Consent”?
Per Texas law, both parties must give consent for a sexual act to be legal. Here are a few examples of what constitutes “without consent”:
- The actor used physical force or violence against the person.
- The actor threatened physical force or violence against any person (and the person believes the threat is legitimate).
- The person has not consented and is unconscious or otherwise unable to consent (e.g., incapacitated or otherwise physically unable to resist).
- The person has a mental illness that leaves them incapable of understanding what is occurring or of resisting it.
- The actor drugged the person without their knowledge.
- The actor uses their position of authority (e.g., as a public servant, a teacher, a clergyman, or a healthcare provider) to coerce or abuse the person.
Being accused of assault could affect all aspects of your life. Do not take chances with a lawyer who does not have the same commitment or depth of local knowledge as Jay Blass Cohen and our Houston-based team. Let our criminal defense attorney, a Houston native, protect your rights starting now.
Call Blass Law Today for Legal Defense Against Sexual Assault
Our Houston sexual assault attorney does not back down when it comes to defending the rights of his clients. Blass Law will do everything possible to help you avoid prison time, fines, and the other severe penalties associated with sex crimes in Houston.
Get started with us today by calling for your confidential consultation. Let us get to work keeping you innocent.