Did you know that Unlawful Sexual Contact – C.R.S. 18-3-404, is one of the most commonly charged sex offenses in Denver, Arapahoe, and Jefferson County, and across Colorado? That's because it's not difficult to commit. This is especially true for teenagers, as they explore their sexuality. This sex offense is charged for even the most innocent of explorations, like grabbing another person's butt. This sex offense is common even at the middle school level.

What is Juvenile Unlawful Sexual Contact?

Unlawful Sexual Contact is a sex offense which is charged whenever someone submits another person to any sexual contact without their consent. This seems like a reasonable law until you look closer at what “sexual contact” is. Put very simply, it is the touching of any genitalia (including a person's butt or breast) or the clothing covering the immediate area, if it is done for the purpose of sexual gratification. So, if a teenager grabs a classmate's butt – even as a joke, he could be charged with juvenile Unlawful Sexual Contact.

Childhood Behavior is Now Illegal

The kinds of acts which are illegal under Colorado's Unlawful Sexual Contact statute in Douglas, Adams, and El Paso County aren't new or surprising. In fact, young people have engaged in this kind of contact since the beginning of time as they go through adolescence. In the past, discipline for such behavior and sexual contact occurred at home. Now, our government has piled on the consequences and the repercussions are negative for our kids. If a teenager is adjudicated for Unlawful Sexual Contact, they will be required to register as a sex offender, go through sex offender treatment and therapy, and have a blemish on their record.

Has Your Child Been Charged with Juvenile Unlawful Sexual Contact?

Sex offender registration is tedious and unwarranted, and treatment can be invasive. Hire an attorney to protect your child's future.

If your child has been charged with juvenile Unlawful Sexual Contact in Saguache or Rio Grand County after normal teenage behavior, contact one of our understanding, full-time criminal defense lawyers. It's important for your child's future to act right away. In the past, people considered juvenile crimes to be less serious than adult charges. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. While your child isn't like to spend any time in a detention center for a first offense, the other consequences are the most serious – and many people don't know about them. Sex offender registration is tedious and unwarranted, and the therapy can be invasive and difficult. By hiring an expert criminal defense attorney to work on your child's case early on, you can prevent long-term damage to their future opportunities. Don't put your child's future in the hands of a public defender or inexperienced lawyer – work with an affordable attorney from the O'Malley Law Office who will be your child's advocate.

If your child is facing juvenile Unlawful Sexual Contact charges, be smart, have your child exercise their right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O'Malley Law Office for a free consultation at 303-830-0880. Together, we can protect your child's future.