Sex Offender Defense Attorney in Fort Worth

If you or a loved one are being accused of aggravated sexual assault, indecency with a child, or other sex crimes in Texas, you need an aggresive and experienced sex offender attorney to come to your defense. These charges come with serious consequences and lofty penalties that are not limited to fines and jail time. If convinced, due to the Texas Sex Offender Registration Program, you will be required to register as a sex offender.

In addition to your name and conviction being easily discoverable by neighbors and employers, as a registered sex offender, rules and restrictions will dictate nearly every part of your life. The length of your stint on this list depends on the conviction, but can be as long as a lifetime. Don’t take a chance with the rest of your life. Call a Fort Worth sex crimes attorney at Sellers Law Firm and make a stand for your rights.

Sex crime charges

You will most likely have to register as a sex offender in Texas is you are committed of a sex crime. The following crimes are considered sex crimes in Texas:

• Sexual Assault
• Sexual Assault of a Child
• Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child
• Indecency with a Child (Fondling)
• Statutory Rape
• Possession of Child Pornography
• Distribution of Child Pornography
• Internet Sex Crimes
• Prostitution
• Online Solicitation of a Minor
• Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child
• Improper Photography / Improper Videotaping
• Improper Relationship between Educator and Student
• Invasive Visual Recording
• Compelling Prostitution
• Compelling Prostitution of a Child
• Sexual Performance by a Child
• Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

Texas prosecution is especially hard on sex crimes. If you or a loved one is being accused of a sex crime you cannot sit idle. You must be proactive in building your defense, as the prosecution is likely already building their case against you. If you need a sexual assault attorney in Fort Worth — or a lawyer for any other sex crime — call the professionals at Sellers Law Firm, who know how important your rights, reputation, and freedom are.

Who must register as a sex offender in Texas?

Sex offender registration is a companion to convictions for crimes sexual in nature (like those above), and usually accompanies other severe punishments such as jail time and fines. If you are convicted and required to join the Texas Sex Offender Registry, you are required to register in a timely fashion, or else you may find yourself being arrested again. That timeframe can look like this:

• If you are not sentenced to jail, you have 72 hours to register as a sex offender before a warrant is issued for your arrest.
• If you are paroled or released from jail following a sex crime conviction, you will be required to register as a sex offender immediately after you are released.

Texas sex offender restrictions

What are the sex offender laws in Texas? When registering as a sex offender, you must register in both the county you live in and the county where you were sentenced. Additionally, sex offender laws dictate that you provide a range of information about yourself, including your name, address, phone number, and place of employment. This information (including whether you committed a sexually violent offense) will be included in your profile as a sex offender and will be visible to people who search the registry.

The limits on your privacy don’t stop there — as a registered sex offender, you will be required to meet with your supervising officer on a regular basis. A sex offenders’ rights can feel limiting: any moves, new jobs, or travel plans will have to be registered and cleared before you can take any action. Your supervising officer may also forbid you from being near certain locations that could tie into your case.

The restrictions overlap and exceed those imposed on all convicted felons, such as the loss of the right to vote or bear arms. By the way, almost all sex crimes are felonies in Texas; soliciting prostitution, previously a misdemeanor, was recently upgraded to a felony offense. The clock is ticking if you have been accused of a sex crime, you need to start building a defense now.

Texas Sex Offender FAQ

How long do you have to register as a sex offender in Texas?

In Texas, sex offenders are either required to register for ten years, or for the rest of their life. Nothing less, nothing in-between. If you are sentenced to time in prison, your time on the registry will begin when you get out. Time served is not part of a sex offender’s rights with regard to registration; it does not count towards the sex offender registry.

Is there any way to get off the Texas Sex Offender Registry Early?

Convicted sex offenders are required to serve out their full term on the Texas Sex Offender Registry. However you can deregister if your conviction is overturned or you are otherwise exonerated.

What are sex offenders’ rights in Texas?

Sex offenders do still have rights in Texas. While you will be restricted from voting, owning a firearm, and using drugs or alcohol among other things, you are allowed to work, drive, and enlist an attorney.

What is the Romeo and Juliet Law in Texas?

Texas Penal Code 22.011 states that, although the age of consent in Texas is 17, individuals between the ages of 14 and 17 are legally able to consent to sexual relations as long as the other party involved is within 3 years of age. This law was put in place to protect teenagers from being convicted of statutory rape in Texas.

Accused of a sex crime? Hire an experienced sex offender attorney to defend your rights

The best defense against Texas sex offender registration is hiring the best sex offender attorney that you can. Criminal defense attorneys are a dime a dozen, but very few have the expertise and experience that it takes to take these serious charges head on. Don’t risk spending the rest of your life on the Sex Offender Registry.

At Sellers Law Firm, our attorneys have years of aggregate experience defending difficult and grave sex charges. Call us at 817-928-4222 or request a consultation online.