Former science teacher arrested on sex crime charges
Sex offenses by the nature of the crimes are usually sensitive cases. In Florida, specifically in Orlando, sex crimes often involve cases of rape, child pornography, child sexual abuse and prostitution. Each sex crime comes with unique penalties. Anyone who is facing sex charges must defend themselves against the damaging allegations to avoid serious repercussions, such as jail and inclusion on the list of sex offenders.
In northern Florida, a former science teacher was recently charged with one count of sexual performance with a child by a person of authority over a minor and three counts of sexual assault. Based on a report, the accused, a 28-year-old man, began exchanging photos with 16-year-old teenager but these photo swaps ended when the accused allegedly started a relationship with a 23-year-old woman. When that relationship ended several months later, the accused person allegedly again initiated contact the teenage girl on a social networking site. The accused person reportedly engaged in two separate sexual acts with the teenager at her house.
Cases involving minors are particularly challenging for an accused. Such crimes can lead to severe penalties due to the involvement of a minor. The accused person has to craft a strong criminal defense to effectively contest the charges which can consist of providing alibis or stating that the accusations never happened. The defense can present its own evidence which can prove that the defendant and the victim had no relationship or the alleged events did not occur.
Defendants most always need astute legal advice to better understand the situation. By discussing the case with a criminal defense attorney, the defendant will be able to explore various options on how to deal with the case. The attorney can also prepare a solid defense on behalf of the accused person.
Source: The Orlando Sentinel, “N. Florida teacher accused of having teen-student sex,” Nov. 12, 2014