You need a sex crimes lawyer in Century City, CA. Maybe it was a rough breakup that led to a false accusation. Maybe it was a misunderstanding that's being blown out of proportion. Or maybe you made a mistake and are looking for a way forward.
You need The Law Offices of David S. Chesley. Our criminal defense attorneys have over 50 years of combined courtroom experience and know how to defend against sex crimes in Century City, CA. We investigate, challenge the evidence, negotiate when that protects you, and try the case when it does not.
We will fight for you. Call (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online for a confidential, free case review.
Attorney David S. Chesley, Century City, CA, criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
Why Century City, CA, Sex Crime Cases Are Different
A sex crime charge is not a typical misdemeanor or even a typical felony. A conviction can mean:
- A potentially lengthy prison sentence
- Years (or even a lifetime) on the sex offender registry
- A social stigma that will follow you after release
- Employment, licensing, housing, custody, and immigration consequences
- Ongoing governmental supervision
Don't try to face these consequences alone. The right Century City, CA, sex crimes lawyer can help you minimize or even avoid them.
Arrested for a Sex Crime in Century City, CA? Take These Steps Now
- Do not contact the accuser — No matter what your intentions are, it's a bad idea. Doing so often just looks like intimidating the alleged victim.
- Keep quiet during interrogations. Respectfully request to speak with your attorney.
- Don't give permission to search your property if there isn't a warrant for it and if you haven't had a chance to check with your Century City, CA sex charges attorney.
- Protect evidence that you have access to. Deletion can be a crime in and of itself, and make you look guilty.
- Talk about your case with your sex crimes lawyer in Century City, CA: dates, locations, witnesses, alcohol, prior relationship, and who else had a motive.
- If given bail conditions, take every effort to adhere to them — breaking these can hurt your case.
- Get help handling the pressure — counseling can help give you clarity on how to move forward.
On your own, it can be hard to stay on top of everything. But with a leading Century City, CA, sex crimes lawyer, you have an advantage inside and outside of court.
Get Help With the Following Century City, CA, Sex Crime Charges
Rape and Sexual Assault
Rape is charged under Penal Code § 261. In Century City, CA, it is a felony with a triad of 3, 6, or 8 years in state prison in a typical case, plus fines and usually Tier 3 lifetime registration. "Sexual assault" is not one statute — it often means rape, sexual battery (PC § 243.4), nonconsensual oral copulation (PC § 287), sodomy (PC § 286), or penetration with a foreign object (PC § 289).
In the past, California has separate laws for rape between spouses versus general rape. However, this was repealed and does not apply today.
Child Sex Crimes
There are a wide range of potential child sex crime accusations in California, including lewd acts with a child, sexual abuse, and possession of child pornography. Even in cases where there wasn't a physical, sexual act involving a child, you can face charges for enticing a minor for lewd purposes.
Statutory Rape
Unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor is a misdemeanor or a wobbler depending on ages. Important 2026 change: for offenses on or after January 1, 2026, SB 680 added certain PC § 261.5(c) and (d) convictions to PC § 290. Those cases can require Tier 1 (10-year) registration, unless the defendant was not more than 10 years older than the minor and that is the only registerable conviction. Courts can still order registration under PC § 290.006. Offenses before January 1, 2026 are not brought onto the registry by SB 680. This should be analyzed before any plea.
Internet and Digital Sex Crimes
Internet sex crimes are unique in that they don't always involve a direct action being taken against the victim. For example, possession of child pornography is a crime whether or not you were the one to produce it. Possession can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, while distribution or production is always a felony.
Deepfake Sexual Content
Deepfake sexual content is not the loophole that some people think it is. California law has made it illegal to share photorealistic, intimate images of an identifiable person, even if they are artificial or AI-generated. A first conviction is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, while repeat convictions can be punished with up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Indecent Exposure
Indecent exposure might not sound like as big of a deal as sex crimes like rape, but you can still face major consequences. This charge alleges that someone intentionally exposed their privates to another person in an offensive way. Most first offenses are only a misdemeanor, but aggravated or repeat convictions can be elevated to a felony. Additionally, even for a misdemeanor conviction, sex offender registration is required. To minimize your chance of long-term consequences, call your Century City, CA, sex crimes lawyer right away.
Related Charges
In Century City, CA, we also defend human trafficking (PC § 236.1), lewd conduct in public (PC § 647(a)), failure to register (PC § 290.018), prostitution and solicitation (PC § 647(b)), loitering with intent to commit prostitution (PC § 653.22), pimping/pandering (PC §§ 266h, 266i), incest (PC § 285), aggravated sexual assault of a child (PC § 269), and assault with intent to commit a sex offense (PC § 220). Those pages are linked from the list below.
Sex Crime Charges Our Lawyers Defend
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child · AI-Generated / Deepfake Sexual Content · Annoying or Molesting a Child · Arranging a Meeting With a Minor · Assault with Intent to Commit a Sex Offense · Child Molestation (PC 288) · Child Pornography · Enticing a Minor · Failure to Register · Human Trafficking (Sex Trafficking) · Incest · Indecent Exposure · Lewd Acts · Lewd Conduct in Public · Loitering to Commit Prostitution · Oral Copulation by Force · Oral Copulation or Sodomy With a Minor · Penetration by Force · Pimping and Pandering · Prostitution / Solicitation · Rape · Revenge Porn · Sex With a Minor / Statutory Rape · Sexting Involving Minors · Sexual Abuse · Sexual Assault · Sexual Battery · Sodomy by Force
Will Help You Fight the Charges
Pre-filing and investigation. The best way to beat a criminal charge is to avoid having it filed in the first place. You don't have to wait until you're under arrest to get an attorney — our sex crime defense attorneys can help you the moment police contact you. We will guide you through interviews, negotiate with authorities, and set the ground for a strong legal defense, should it become necessary.
Discovery and forensics. Anything that the police and prosecution find, they have to turn over to us in discovery. Our team will then comb through the evidence, looking for holes in the prosecution's case and opportunities to create reasonable doubt.
Motions. Suppression. The right motions can set your case up for success. In addition to motions we commonly file (like suppression and dismissal), in sex crime cases we often file a motion to suppress identification. Unfortunately, misidentification can occur more often than it should in criminal cases, and sex crimes are no exception.
Negotiation. The registration tier often matters more than a few months of custody. Reducing a Tier 3 offense to a non-registerable or Tier 1/2 charge can be the entire case.
Trial and sentencing. If the case should be tried, we try it. If there is a conviction, we litigate strikes, enhancements, and PC 290 placement.
Your Century City, CA, Sex Crime Lawyer Needs to Have These Qualities
- Knowledge of how to handle the exact charges against you
- Readiness to help right away, no matter what stage your case is at
- A defense strategy that you can understand
- Availability and a single point of contact
- Confidence and honesty when planning your defense
Century City, CA, Sex Crime Penalties
| Charge | Statute | Level | Typical Custody Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rape | PC § 261 | Felony | 3, 6, or 8 years state prison; fine up to $10,000 |
| Statutory Rape | PC § 261.5 | Misd. or wobbler | Up to 1 year jail, or 16 months–4 years (facts-dependent) |
| Sexual Battery | PC § 243.4 | Misd. or felony | Up to 6 months jail, or 2, 3, or 4 years prison |
| Lewd Act With a Child Under 14 | PC § 288(a) | Felony | 3, 6, or 8 years (higher if force or younger child) |
| Arranging a Meeting With a Minor | PC § 288.4 | Wobbler | Up to 1 year jail, or 2, 3, or 4 years prison |
| Indecent Exposure | PC § 314 | Misd. or felony | Up to 1 year, or 16 months–3 years |
| Child Pornography Possession | PC § 311.11 | Wobbler / felony | Jail, or 16 months–3+ years; registration often Tier 3 if felony |
| Prostitution / Solicitation | PC § 647(b) | Misdemeanor | Up to 6 months jail; fine up to $1,000 |
Enhancements (great bodily injury, weapon use, multiple victims, age of the complaining witness, prior strikes) change these numbers. Your case needs to be evaluated for its unique qualities. But a conviction won't just lead to incarceration; it can also put you on the sex offender registry.
Sex Offender Registry Tiers in California
California uses a three-tier system (SB 384, in effect since 2021):
- Tier 1 — normally 10 years, but some minors will only be put on the registry for 5 years. Examples: many misdemeanor sexual battery and indecent exposure convictions; some PC § 261.5 convictions for offenses on or after January 1, 2026, under SB 680.
- Tier 2 — generally 20 years. Examples: lewd acts with a minor under 14 and some sodomy cases.
- Tier 3 — lifetime for the most serious offenses (e.g., sex trafficking of a child, sodomy by force, forcible rape) and certain repeat or high-risk designations.
Rather than automatically being removed after a time period, it's on the individual to request removal after their time is up. Your sex crimes attorney can help you petition for removal from the sex offender registery.
Effective Defenses Versus Sex Crime Charges in Century City, CA
- Consent applies in several sex crime charges, since many are only illegal if a party did not consent
- Reasonable, good-faith mistake as to the accuser's age (the "Hernandez defense," CALCRIM No. 1071) — available for statutory rape under PC § 261.5, but not available for lewd acts with a child under 14 (PC § 288) or for human trafficking (PC § 236.1), where a defendant's belief about age is not a defense as a matter of law
- False or motivated accusation False accusations — some people use false sexual assault or rape allegations as a way to hurt another person or gain leverage in a custody battle
- Misidentification — unfortunately, misidentification can result in false accusations, even if the alleged victim is not acting maliciously
- Failure of the prosecution to prove the charges against you (intent, force, "lewd purpose," knowledge of age, possession vs. unsolicited file)
- Unlawful search of phones and cloud accounts
- Entrapment in cases like prostitution
- Statute of limitations or charging defects
Your Century City, CA, sex crimes attorney can help you pick out the right defense strategy for your case. And if it goes to trial, they are prepared to argue it in front of a jury.
Recent Sex Offense Case Results
- Soliciting a Prostitute (PC § 647(b)) and Loitering with Intent to Commit Prostitution (PC § 653.22) — All Charges Dismissed. This client was accused of soliciting a prostitute who was a police agent working undercover. We evaluated potential entrapment issues and enrolled our client in a diversionary, educational program. The court dismissed the charges, and no lingering public records are available..
- Statutory Rape (PC § 261.5) — Avoided Jail and Sex Offender Registration; Charges to be Dismissed. When our client was accused of statutory rape, we leveraged our defense to negotiate a probation sentence which, if completed, will allow for the dismissal of all charges, no prison time, and keep our client off of the California sex offender registry.
- Rape (PC § 261) — Facing 25 Years to Life, All Charges Dismissed at Preliminary Hearing. The client was present at a gathering where two other individuals were separately accused of assaulting a woman; the client had no involvement in the alleged conduct. We demonstrated the client's lack of involvement, and the court dismissed all charges at the preliminary hearing. No public record of the case remains.
- Kidnapping (PC § 207) and Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a Minor (PC § 261.5) — Our Defense Protected Our Client From 6 Years in Prison and Sex Offender Registration. Using a consent-based defense, we protected our client from an extended jail sentence and secured a favorable outcome, with no strike and no sex offender registration.
- Child Molestation (PC § 288) and Sodomy with a Child Under 10 (PC § 288.7) — Charges Dismissed at the Preliminary Hearing. A conviction of these charges would have sent our client to prison for life, along with permanent sex offender registration. We examined the prosecution's evidence and were able to demonstrate to the court that the accusation was false, securing a dismissal. As an added bonus, our client's privacy is protected as any remaining records are not available to the public.
While past cases can help inform you on a firm's abilities, they do not necessarily represent results for a future case. Every case in Century City, CA, is evaluated on its own facts, and results depend on the specific evidence and circumstances involved.
Common Questions for Sex Crime Charges in Century City, CA
Is it still important to hire an attorney if you're innocent?
Yes. Innocence does not stop an investigation, an arrest, or a filing decision. Counsel is how your evidence gets into the file and how illegal searches and bad interviews get challenged.
Is there a risk of deportation if I'm convicted?
Many sex convictions are treated as aggravated felonies or crimes involving moral turpitude. Discuss immigration consequences before any plea.
Is it possible for sex crime charges to be reduced or dismissed?
Whether or not charges can be reduced or dismissed depends on the specifics of your case — talk with your Century City, CA, sex crimes lawyer to determine if this is an option for you.
Will I be put on the sex offender registry if I'm convicted of statutory rape?
For many PC § 261.5(c) and (d) offenses committed on or after January 1, 2026, yes — Tier 1 — unless the 10-year age-gap exception applies. The court may still order PC § 290.006 registration. Get the dates and ages reviewed before you plead.
If I'm on the California sex offender registry, do I have to tell my neighbors?
No — sex offenders themselves are not required to inform their neighbors, just register with local law enforcement. Law enforcement may decide to make a public announcement, though.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley Is Ready to Defend Your Sex Crimes Case
There isn't a guaranteed way to beat these charges, but with professional help, you'll get guidance on how to maximize your chances.
Our phone lines are open 24/7. If you need a sex crimes lawyer in Century City, CA, call now at (800) 755-5174 or reach out online. We're dedicated to your case.
Payment Plans
