You need a sex crimes lawyer in Lancaster, 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.
For Lancaster, CA, residents in need of defense against sex crime accusations, there's a clear choice of who to turn to: The Law Offices of David S. Chesley. Our attorneys fight for our client's rights. We handle everything from investigation to trial.
We will fight for you. Call (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online to talk to a sex crimes lawyer in Lancaster, CA.
President David S. Chesley, Lancaster, CA, criminal defense since June 2005, SBN 236611.
Why Lancaster, CA, Sex Crime Cases Are Different
Sex crime charges are serious. A conviction can lead to:
- Incarceration
- Registration as a sex offender
- Frequently, notifications to the public regarding your conviction
- Employment, licensing, housing, custody, and immigration consequences
- A federal firearms ban and, in some cases, passport restrictions
Don't wait while the Lancaster, CA, district attorney builds a case against you. Call your Lancaster, CA, sex crimes lawyer and start building your defense now.
What to Do if You Have Been Accused of a Sex Crime in Lancaster, CA
- Do not contact the accuser — No matter what your intentions are, it's a bad idea. That can be charged as witness intimidation or violating a protective order.
- Keep quiet during interrogations. Plead the Fifth Amendment and politely ask to speak with your lawyer.
- Don't share your phone or let investigators access your property without a warrant and without counsel.
- Gather any evidence you can find. Don't delete anything, as this can be twisted as hiding evidence.
- Write a private timeline for your lawyer only: Without a full picture, they won't be able to build a complete defense.
- Follow every release condition exactly — failing to do so can send you to jail.
- Get help handling the pressure — a counselor or one trusted person who will not post about it.
On your own, it can be hard to stay on top of everything. But with a leading Lancaster, CA, sex crimes lawyer, you have an advantage inside and outside of court.
Charges a Lancaster, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Can Help You Fight
Rape and Sexual Assault
Rape is arguably the most serious sex crime charge you can face in Lancaster, CA. A conviction can send you to prison for years, and permanently put you on the sex offender registry. "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, a rape accusation between spouses had different consequences that were considered more lenient. Today, though, this no longer applies, and alleged rapes between spouses are treated the same as any other.
Child Sex Crimes
In California, child molestation is not covered by a single law, but is a category for acts such as lewd acts with a child and the sexual abuse of a child. California does not have a Romeo and Juliet law, so it's illegal for an adult to have sex with a minor even if they are close in age.
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 Lancaster, CA, child sex crimes lawyer before taking a plea or establishing a defense.
Online 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.
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 applies regardless of whether the child was real or not — 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.
Lewd Conduct in Public
It may be easy to confuse lewd conduct in public with indecent exposure, but these are separate offenses in Lancaster, CA. Where indecent exposure refers to a person showing off their own genitalia in an offensive manner, one difference with lewd conduct can involve another person. Lewd conduct involves the alleged sexual touching of one's own or someone else's privates in a public place, offending other people in the area. Intentions don't matter — just whether or not someone was present who was upset by the actions.
Related Charges
In Lancaster, CA, we also defend indecent exposure (PC § 314), human trafficking (PC § 236.1), 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.
Charges We Handle
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. We don't just let the district attorney build a case against you — we reexamine any evidence and look for inconsistencies or other weaknesses. We can also reach out to expert witnesses and forensic labs to review everything and look for alternatives to the state's narrative.
Motions. Suppression. Motions can do many things for your case. One of the first motions we often file is a motion for bail reduction. This can help you secure pretrial release. After that, we'll frequently follow with a motion to suppress evidence and/or a motion to dismiss charges.
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 case can be handled through negotiations. When talks break down, we use our defensive strategy to persuade the jury. And if the outcome is guilty on any charge, we'll advocate for you in sentencing.
Top 5 Lancaster, CA, Sex Crimes Lawyer Qualitities
- Knowledge of how to handle the exact charges against you
- Dedication to Connections with prosecutors and judges in Lancaster
- A defense strategy that you can understand
- Easy to contact and get updates on your case
- A feeling that you're being treated like a person, not a paycheck
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. . 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.
Sex Offender Registry Tiers in California
Not every sex crime in California requires a person to register as a sex offender (prostitution, for example, normally does not). When it is required, though, it typically falls into one of the below three categories:
- Tier 1 — typically for a 10-year term, or 5 years for most juvenile cases. Examples: indecent exposure (misdemeanor) and sexual battery (misdemeanor).
- Tier 2 — generally 20 years. Examples: many serious/violent registerable felonies that are not automatic lifetime.
- Tier 3 — lifetime for the most serious offenses (e.g., most rape offenses, aiding a rape attempt, pimping a minor) 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 Lancaster, CA
- Consent can be a powerful defense and/or mitigating factor — so long as the alleged victim had the capacity to give it
- False or motivated accusation (custody, immigration, breakup, school discipline)
- Alibi — when you can show that you were not present when the alleged offense was committed, you can convince many people of your innocence
- Failure of the prosecution to prove the charges against you (intent, force, "lewd purpose," knowledge of age, possession vs. unsolicited file)
- Evidence obtained in a way that violated your rights
- Weak evidence that can be dismantled through examination
- Entrapment or lack of intent in sting cases
When you have the right defense strategy and the right defense attorney on your side, you're maximizing your chances of a positive outcome.
Past 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) — Client Avoided Jail and Sex Offender Registration; Dismissal Available After Probation. 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) — Felony Accusation, All Charges Dismissed Before Trial. When our client was wrongly accused of participating in an assault, we presented a defense showing their lack of participation. 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. Using a consent-based defense, our lawyers secured a deal that released our client, crediting them for time served, and our resolution also kept our client off of the California sex offender registry.
- Child Molestation (PC § 288) and Sodomy with a Child Under 10 (PC § 288.7) — Defense Secured Dismissal of Charges, Avoiding Prison and Sex Offender Registration. The client faced three potential life terms with no bail. We examined the prosecution's evidence and were able to demonstrate to the court that the accusation was false, securing a dismissal. No public record of the case remains.
While past cases can help inform you on a firm's abilities, they do not necessarily represent results for a future case. Your Lancaster, CA, sex crimes lawyer can help you figure out the best approach to your case, and help you understand realistic outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions for Sex Crime Charges in Lancaster, CA
If I didn't do it, should I still contact a sex crimes lawyer?
It's critical to work with an attorney, whether or not the accusation has any merit. It's easy for mistakes to be misconstrued, and your lawyer can help you present your side of the story.
Would a conviction of a sex crime affect my immigration status?
It depends on the specific crime, but several sex crime convictions can be used as the basis for deportation.
Does statutory rape require registration now?
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 sex offender registry, what rules do I have to follow?
Some of the main requirements are to register with local law enforcement where they live, provide annual updates, and may face residency limitations.
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.
Get help right away — call us at (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online to talk with your Lancaster, CA, sex crimes lawyer.
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