You need a sex crimes lawyer in Corona, 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 Corona, CA. We handle everything from investigation to trial.
We're ready for you 24/7. Call (800) 755-5174 or reach out online to get help from your Corona, CA, sex crimes lawyer.
President David S. Chesley, Corona, CA, criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
Why You Need to Treat Sex Crime Charges Seriously in Corona, CA
You need an expert Corona, CA, sex crimes lawyer to help you fight your case and avoid:
- State prison or jail
- Mandatory or discretionary sex offender registration under Penal Code § 290
- Public Megan's Law listing in many cases
- Employment, licensing, housing, custody, and immigration consequences
- Electronic monitoring
Don't wait while the Corona, CA, district attorney builds a case against you. Call your Corona, CA, sex crimes lawyer and start building your defense now.
What to Do if You Have Been Accused of a Sex Crime in Corona, CA
- Do not contact the accuser — for any reason whatsoever. You could face additional charges for witness intimidation.
- Do not talk to police, detectives, or campus investigators. Be respectful, but don't answer any questions. Instead, request to speak with your attorney.
- Don't give permission to search your property if there isn't a warrant for it and without checking with your Corona, CA, sex crimes lawyer first.
- Protect evidence that you have access to. Deletion can be a crime in and of itself, and make you look guilty.
- Share everything you know with your defense attorney: It's important that your lawyer has a full view of the situation.
- Follow every release condition exactly — you can face serious penalties for breaking these.
- Get support outside the case — counseling can help give you clarity on how to move forward.
Above all of the above, the main thing you need to do is get help from an expert Corona, CA, sex crimes defense lawyer right away. They can help guide you through the rest..
Charges a Corona, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Can Help You Fight
Rape and Sexual Assault
Rape is charged under Penal Code § 261. In Corona, 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 (or sexual abuse) charges are often used as a catch-all that can include rape and other sexual crimes, most notably sexual battery. Sexual battery is defined in its own statute as the touching of another person's intimate parts without their consent, while the alleged victim was restrained. This touching must have been done for sexual purposes.
Spousal rape under former PC § 262 was repealed in 2021. As of January 1, 2026, SB 258 also removed the remaining spouse-capacity carve-out in PC § 261. Rape inside a marriage is charged like rape between any other two people.
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. Some child sex crimes don't even have to involve actually abusing a child — California's enticing a minor statute makes it a crime just to try and presuade a child into engaging in sexual conduct, whether or not they actually do.
Statutory Rape
In California court, statutory rape is often referred to as "unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor." These allegations state that a person had sex with someone under the age of 18. This technically makes it illegal for two minors to have sex with each other, but most of the time, these allegations are used in cases where an adult supposedly had sex with a minor. Common defenses include demonstrating an honest belief that the adult believed the minor was over the age of 18 or that sexual intercourse did not occur (though the latter defense can still result in other child sex crime charges). Talk with your Corona, CA, child sex crimes lawyer before taking a plea or establishing a defense.
Internet and Digital Sex Crimes
These include child sexual abuse material (PC §§ 311–311.11), sending harmful matter to a minor (PC § 288.2), sexting involving a minor, and sting cases built on chats with an officer posing as a minor. Adult "revenge porn" is a separate offense under PC § 647(j)(4) and related statutes. Digital forensics — who had the device, hash values, unallocated space, account takeover, and intent — often decide the case.
AI-Generated Sexual Content Involving Children
Child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse material, is illegal at both the California state and federal levels — even if it was generated with AI. This means that it doesn't matter whether the depicted child is real or fictional — creating and distributing these types of images is a crime. If you're facing charges related to this, you need a sex crimes lawyer who can defend you in both state and federal court.
Human Trafficking
Sex trafficking is charged under Penal Code § 236.1(b) and (c) and carries some of the most severe penalties available in Corona, CA, court. Subdivision (b) covers depriving someone of their liberty to commit pimping, pandering, or child pornography offenses, punishable by up to 20 years in state prison. Subdivision (c) covers persuading or attempting to persuade a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, and can carry 15 years to life when force, fear, fraud, or coercion is used. A conviction requires lifetime Tier 3 sex offender registration. These cases frequently overlap with pimping and pandering allegations and often turn on financial records, communications, and the alleged victim's own statements.
Related Charges
In Corona, CA, we also defend indecent exposure (PC § 314), 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.
Accused of a Below Sex Crime? Call Us Today
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
How a Sex Crimes Lawyer in Corona, CA
Pre-filing and investigation. The fight for your freedom doesn't begin when charges are filed — it begins as soon as the authorities start to look at you. These early days are crucial for setting your case up for success — having an expert sex crimes lawyer can help you preserve exculpatory evidence and maybe even negate charges from being filed in the first place.
Discovery and forensics. We obtain police reports, body-cam footage, SART/rape-kit notes, pretext-call recordings, phones, cloud accounts, and expert review of DNA, toxicology, and digital media. Many cases turn on delayed disclosure, inconsistent statements, suggestive interviewing of children, or missing intent.
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. A sex crime charge defense isn't just about avoiding incarceration; it's about staying off of the sex offender registry. A plea deal can be a compromise that protects your reputation.
Trial and sentencing. Not every plea deal offered is acceptable. If we can't find an option that works for you, we're prepared to fight in court for your freedom. Even if the outcome at trial isn't what you were hoping for, we'll advocate for lenient sentencing.
Looking for a Sex Crimes Lawyer in Corona, CA? Don't Overlook These Factors
- Direct experience with your statute (PC 261 is not the same case as PC 288.4)
- Dedication to Connections with prosecutors and judges in Corona
- Honest assessment of registration risk, not just "jail vs. no jail"
- 24/7 availability
- A record of results in Corona, CA, courts — not just a list of charges
Penalties (General Statutory Ranges)
| 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 |
While the majority of sex crime cases may follow these guidelines, sentencing enhancements can greatly alter the end punishment. Your case needs to be evaluated for its unique qualities. However, a jail sentence is often over long before the other main consequences of a sex crime conviction: Being placed on the sex offender registry.
The Sex Offender Registry (PC 290)
If convicted, many sex crimes require you to register at one of the three below tiers:
- Tier 1 — generally 10 years (5 years in some juvenile cases). Examples: misdemeanor sex crimes are often Tier 1, notably sexual battery and some child pornography possession.
- Tier 2 — generally 20 years. Examples: repeated annoying of a child, some sodomy cases, and some rape 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.
Life on the sex offender registry is difficult — the public is able to look up your information, and it can impact employment opportunities, and leave lasting impacts long after a prison sentence. Talk to a sex crimes attorney to get help once you're eligible for removal.
Defenses Our Corona, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyers Use
- Consent can be a powerful defense and/or mitigating factor — so long as the alleged victim had the capacity to give it
- Honest misunderstandings regarding the age of the alleged victim. If they lied about their age, that may be enough to prove a lack of intent
- False or motivated accusation False accusations — unfortunately, some people will make up criminal accusations in order to get something they want
- Identity / alibi
- Insufficient proof of a required element — ultimately, it's on the prosecution to prove you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If they fail to do so, we will highlight that
- Illegally acquired evidence
- Entrapment when the supposed offender did not have a predisposition towards the crime, and the government coerced them into it
- Technical issues with the way the case was filed
When you have the right defense strategy and the right defense attorney on your side, you're maximizing your chances of a positive outcome.
Former Sex Offense Case Results
- Soliciting a Prostitute (PC § 647(b)) and Loitering with Intent to Commit Prostitution (PC § 653.22) — All Charges Dismissed. We protected our client's record after being accused of solicitation. Through skillful negotiation, we were able to have all charges dismissed after the completion of an educational program.
- Statutory Rape (PC § 261.5) — Avoided Jail and Sex Offender Registration; Charges to be Dismissed. Our client was accused of statutory rape, a wobbler offense that could have resulted in incarceration, followed by a lifetime on the sex offender registry. Through skillful negotiation, we secured a deal that avoided prison, avoided the sex offender registry, and presented the possibility of all changes of being dismissed, after a probation period..
- Rape (PC § 261) — Facing 25 Years to Life, All Charges Dismissed Before Trial. Our client was potentially up against 25 years in prison and a lifetime on the sex offender registry. They were present at an event where a woman was assaulted, but they took no part in it. The state charged them with rape, but we were able to argue in the preliminary hearing that the charges were not applicable due to our client's lack of participation. All charges were dismissed. The case records not viewable by the public.
- 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. By evaluating the evidence and presenting a narrative of consent, we negotiated a resolution giving the client credit for time served, avoiding a felony strike and sex offender registration.
- Child Molestation (PC § 288) and Sodomy with a Child Under 10 (PC § 288.7) — Protected Client Against Lifetime Imprisonment and Sex Offender Registration. Our client was being held without bail and could have been sent to prison for life, if convicted. We demonstrated that the allegations had been fabricated, and the court dismissed all charges at the preliminary hearing. No public record of the case remains.
These results are representative of past performance, but do not guarantee future results. Our sex crime defense attorneys will evaluate your case based on its own merits and help you in finding the best outcome for your unique situation.
Common Questions for Sex Accusations in Corona, CA
Can a sex crimes lawyer still help if the accusations aren't true?
Yes — unfortunately, the police can make mistakes in their investigations and end up charging the wrong person. Your freedom and rights deserve professional protection.
How will a sex crime conviction in Corona, CA, affect immigration status?
Convictions of sex crimes can be harmful to your immigration status, and potentially lead to deportation. Talk to a sex crimes defense lawyer who can also act as your immigration attorney and help you protect your status.
Does California have a law against sexting?
The main way that sexting can get you in legal trouble in California is if it involves a minor — that is always illegal. It can also be illegal between two adults, if either the recipient does not consent, or if it involves images of a person who did not consent.
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.
When should I call a lawyer?
As soon as you are aware of an accusation, you should contact a lawyer (even if charges haven't been filed yet). After an accusation or a "detective wants to hear your side" call, hours matter.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley Is Ready to Defend Your Sex Crimes Case
We won't sugarcoat it: These charges are a big deal, and you need someone who knows how to fight for your rights.
Our phone lines are open 24/7. If you need a sex crimes lawyer in Corona, CA, call now at (800) 755-5174 or reach out online. We're committed to our clients.
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