By: Daniel Perlman
Have you been charged with a federal sex crime in Los Angeles, California? Contact Perlman Defense Federal Criminal Lawyers for a consultation at (747) 373-0477. Our experienced Los Angeles federal sex crimes lawyers can fight for your rights throughout the criminal justice process, including at trial if that’s in your best interest.
We are a federal criminal defense firm in Los Angeles that handles a select number of serious cases at a time. Our criminal defense attorneys have more than 25 years of experience defending clients in the Central District of California and in federal courts across the country, giving us a track record that you’ll be able to trust as your case moves forward.
By the time federal sex crime charges are filed, prosecutors have typically built what they believe is an airtight case with the help of agencies like the FBI and the Department of Justice. Going up against that level of resources requires a defense team that knows exactly how the federal system operates.
Federal cases are all we handle at Perlman Defense Federal Criminal Lawyers. Our founding attorney, Daniel R. Perlman, brings a former prosecutor's perspective to every defense strategy we implement, which means we understand how the government builds its cases and where the weaknesses tend to lie.
We limit the number of cases we take on as well so that each client receives the focused, dedicated representation these charges demand. Contact our Los Angeles federal defense lawyers today to schedule a consultation. It’s important to take your charges seriously and act quickly to ensure your best defense strategy is put forth.
Federal sex crimes are prosecuted under Title 18 of the United States Code and cover a broad range of conduct. These offenses are investigated by federal agencies and prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office. Unlike state-level charges, federal sex crime convictions carry some of the harshest penalties in the criminal justice system.
These are some of the most common federal sex crime charges:
Federal law prohibits engaging in sexual acts through force, threats, coercion, or when a person is unable to legally consent. It also criminalizes certain sexual acts involving young children. These are among the most serious federal sex crime charges and can result in severe penalties if convicted.
Federal law makes it illegal to use, persuade, coerce, or recruit a minor to participate in the production of sexually explicit material. These cases are aggressively investigated and prosecuted by federal authorities and often involve extensive digital evidence.
Federal law prohibits the possession, receipt, distribution, production, or transportation of child sexual abuse material. These offenses frequently involve forensic analysis of computers, mobile devices, cloud storage, and other electronic evidence.
Federal law prohibits recruiting, transporting, harboring, or obtaining a person for a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion. It also criminalizes commercial sexual exploitation involving minors, regardless of whether force or coercion is alleged. These cases often involve complex, multi-agency federal investigations.
Federal law prohibits transporting minors across state lines for unlawful sexual purposes, as well as using the internet, text messages, or other forms of communication to entice or persuade a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. These offenses may involve conduct occurring across multiple states and are commonly investigated by federal law enforcement agencies.
Not every sex crime is prosecuted at the federal level. Federal jurisdiction generally applies when certain factors are present that connect the alleged conduct to federal law or federal interests. Determining why your case is being handled in federal court rather than state court is an important first step in building your defense.
Some of the most common reasons a sex crime becomes a federal case include:
In many instances, both federal and state prosecutors could bring charges for the same conduct. Federal prosecutors tend to pursue cases they consider high priority, and sex offenses consistently fall into that category. Once a case is in federal court, the rules, procedures, and potential penalties are significantly different from what you would face at the state level.
Federal sex crime penalties are among the most severe in the entire criminal justice system. Many of these offenses carry mandatory minimum sentences, which means a judge has limited ability to impose anything below the statutory floor.
Some examples of the sentencing ranges include:
It is also critical to understand that there is no parole in the federal system. Federal parole was abolished in 1987, which means that defendants serve the vast majority of their sentence. Good time credits can reduce a sentence by a limited amount, but the reduction is far smaller than what is available in most state systems.
Beyond incarceration, a conviction triggers mandatory sex offender registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Depending on the offense, registration can last 15 years, 25 years, or a lifetime. Registered sex offenders face restrictions on where they can live and work, and their information is publicly accessible through national databases.
Other collateral consequences can include the permanent loss of certain professional licenses in addition to difficulty finding employment and housing. Immigration issues are also likely to come up if applicable.
Federal sex crime cases are built over long investigations and often rely on digital evidence and cooperating witnesses. That does not mean the government's case is bulletproof; every piece of evidence and every step in the investigation can be scrutinized for errors. Our federal sex crimes lawyers will examine the full record to determine the best defense strategy for your situation.
Possible defenses to federal sex crime charges include:
We can provide more personalized insight into the strategy we might utilize in your case during your initial consultation.
Federal sex crime charges are extraordinarily serious, but a charge is not a conviction. You are presumed innocent, and the government must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt before a jury can convict you.
Perlman Defense Federal Criminal Lawyers fully understands what is at stake and has 25 years of experience helping clients respond to charges like these successfully. Contact our Los Angeles federal sex crimes attorneys today to learn more and set up a consultation.
Daniel R. Perlman, the founding attorney at Perlman Defense Federal Criminal Lawyers, leverages his extensive background as a former prosecutor to provide superior defense strategies for clients across federal courtrooms. Earning his Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law, he first honed his legal skills with the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Office.
This diverse experience enables him to advocate effectively, understanding prosecution tactics intimately, which he expertly counters in defense of his clients. With a profound commitment to justice, Daniel leads his team in tackling complex federal cases, from white-collar crimes to violent offenses, ensuring the highest level of defense through every phase of the criminal process.
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