Monmouth County Sexual Assault Lawyers

Freehold NJ Sexual Assault Lawyers

The impact of being charged with sexual assault, commonly referred to as rape, can be catastrophic. You will be exposed to a decade or more in prison, thousands in fines and registration as a sex offender under Megan’s Law if you are convicted of this sex crimes charge. This is why you need to take immediate action if you have been accused of sex assault, rape or molestation by any Monmouth County authorities or the New Jersey State Police.  Enlisting the services of a highly skilled sex crimes lawyer to protect your freedom and future is an absolute priority.

Our Freehold law firm, Marshall Criminal Defense, has exactly what is needed to ensure you move on with your life with minimum impact from these allegations. Our rare and unique qualifications include:

  • Fifteen (15) lawyers whose practice is focused exclusively to representation of the accused
  • 200 plus years of combined experience handling criminal charges at the Superior Court in Freehold New Jersey such as Monmouth County sexual assault charges
  • Former Monmouth County Prosecutors that served as Director of Major Crimes, Special Operations, Juvenile Division & the entire Trial Division
  • Two Former County Prosecutors who headed Sex Crimes Units (a.k.a. Special Victims) Around The State
  • Certified criminal trial attorneys on staff, a distinction held by less than 2% licensed in the state
  • A long and consistent history of success in defending sex crimes like sexual assault and other first and second degree crimes

If you are under investigation or were arrested for sexual assault, call us for the assistance you need. An attorney on our staff will take the time to conduct a thorough review of the facts of your sex crimes case and advise you as to your best options for defending the sexual assault charge. To speak to a lawyer at the firm anytime 24/7, contact our Freehold Office at 732-462-1197 or Middletown Office at 732-615-0039 for a free consultation.

The criminal lawyers at Marshall Criminal Defense defend sexual assault charges throughout Monmouth County, including those arrested or charged in Freehold Township, Middletown, Howell, Marlboro Township, Manalapan, Ocean Township, Long Branch, Wall, Hazlet, Aberdeen, Tinton Falls, Holmdel, Eatontown, Belmar, Manasquan and other local municipalities. 

How Is Sexual Assault Defined?

Sexual assault is a very serious crime. This offense covers what is commonly referred to as rape and is triggered whenever there is sexual penetration of another person without their consent. Sexual penetration includes:

  • Vaginal intercourse
  • Oral and anal sex
  • Inserting your finger (i.e. digital penetration), hand, or an object into the anus or vagina

A sexual assault can also occur if an adult has sexual contact with a child that is at least four (4) but less than thirteen (13) years of ago. “Sexual contact” is defined in N.J.S.A. 2C:14-1(d) as the intentional touching of a person’s intimate parts for the purpose of degrading or humiliating the victim or sexually arousing or sexually gratifying the actor.

The more frequently encountered pedigrees of sexual assault stem, however, from sexual penetration and sometimes even some form of sexual violence. N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2b criminalizes sexual penetration under the following circumstances:

  1. The actor uses physical force or coercion but, the victim does not sustain severe personal injury;
  2. The victim is on probation or parole or is detained in a hospital, prison or another institution and the actor has supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim by virtue of the actor’s legal, professional or occupational status;
  3. The victim is at least 16 but less than 18 years old and;
  4. The actor is related to the victim by blood or affinity to the third degree; or
  5. The actor has supervisory or disciplinary power of any nature or in any capacity over the victim; or
  6. The actor is a resource family parent, guardian, or stands in loco parentis within the household;
  7. The victim is at least 13 but less than 16 years old and the actor is at least four years older than the victim.

There are obviously numerous scenarios of sexual abuse, some of which involve child molestation, that can result in a N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2 offense. Our lawyers are adept in defending all forms of sexual assault and certainly are well acquainted with the Monmouth County Superior Court given that many of them have worked at the courthouse in Freehold for decades. In fact, two of the members of our team served as a Monmouth County Prosecutor and two others as head of Sex Crimes Units of other prosecutor offices. If you have been charged with Rape in Monmouth County, we certainly have the team of criminal attorneys to vigorously defend you.

Fines, Imprisonment & Other Penalties

Sexual Assault is a crime of the second degree. An offense falling within this grade exposes an individual to:

  • A prison term of between five (5) and ten (10) years. In addition, sexual assault triggers application of the The No Early Release Act (“NERA”). NERA requires that an individual serve 85% of his/her prison term before they are eligible for parole.
  • The fine for a sex assault is up to $150,000.

While these penalties are bad enough, the fines, jail time and other consequences are even worse for Monmouth County aggravated sexual assault charge.

Sex Offender Restraining Order. It is also possible for you to be subjected to a restraining order that will prohibit you from any contact with your accuser, including visiting his/her residence, place of employment or school.

There is no room for inexperience with stakes as high as these so take the time to look closely at the credentials of the Monmouth County sexual assault defense lawyers you are considering. You need real experience rather than fancy rhetoric. We know that the attorneys at our law office have exactly what you need but we will leave it up to you to do the necessary due diligence.

Megan's Law & Community Supervision for Life

A plea of guilty or a conviction for sexual assault in Monmouth County carries a Megan’s Law registration requirement and community supervision for life (a.k.a. parole supervision for life).

  • Megan’s Law is designed to track the whereabouts individuals who are considered “sexual predators”. An individual falls within this categorization if they are convicted of sexual assault. Megan’s law requires that a sex offender register with their local police department, report annually to the same agency and immediately inform law enforcement of any change in address. An individual may also have his identity posted on the sex offender internet registry if they are deemed a Tier II or III offender.
  • A special sentence of Community Supervision For Life (“CSL”), which is now referred to as Parole Supervision for Life (“PSL”), must also be imposed when someone is convicted for sexual assault. This results in parole supervision, internet restrictions and other consequences that can literally impact an offender for his/her entire life. A violation of internet restrictions or other terms of parole result in a separate criminal charge.

Megans Law and PSL are collateral consequences of a sexual assault conviction can follow an individual around permanently. The stigma and other impact of being labelled as someone prone to commit abuse can be totally debilitating. You need to give yourself the best chance of avoiding ramifications that are as life changing as these so make sure you take the time to hire the right Monmouth County criminal attorneys to defend a sex crime like sexual assault. Marshall Criminal Defense welcomes the opportunity to represent you in this capacity.

Pretrial Release or Detention

New Jersey no longer has classic bail. The process for pretrial release now requires that a defendant be taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institute following a sexual assault arrest. An initial appearance is thereafter conducted within 48 hours. The defendant will be released on conditions at that proceeding absent a motion to detain filed by the prosecution. Conversely, the accused is held for an additional three (3) days if a detention motion is filed. The court holds a full hearing to determine whether an individual should be released on conditions or detained until trial. It is certainly in a defendant’s best interests to hire a seasoned criminal lawyer as soon after being arrested as possible so that they can properly prepare for the initial appearance and/or detention. hearing.

Contact Our Accomplished Monmouth County Sexual Assault Defense Lawyers For The Help You Need

When you’ve been defending clients arrested for sexual assault in Monmouth County as long as us, you have heard just about every bad faith motive for 2C:12-4 charges under the sun. Whether its to gain leverage for child custody, retaliation by a child because of a threat to divorce their favored parent, rejection of someone with whom you had consensual sex, or another scenario, the end result can be overwhelming.

You need a criminal defense with real muscle and this is why you should contact Marshall Criminal Defense immediately. Our team not only has over 200 years of experience defending sex assault, child pornography and other sex crimes in Monmouth County but also features two attorneys who served at the highest levels at the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office. This is the same agency that will control what happens in terms of prosecution of your sex crime charge. As if these qualifications weren’t impressive enough, we also have two lawyers who have served as Directors of Sex Crimes Units of County Prosecutors Offices around the state.

To take advantage of a free initial consultation, call 732-462-1197 for immediate assistance from a sex crimes defense lawyer from our firm. Attorneys are available around the clock to help you so contact us whenever the need arises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Monmouth County Sexual Assault

What Is The Sentence For Sexual Assault In NJ?

Whether your conviction is for child sexual abuse or conduct involving an adult, the penalties are the same for second degree sexual assault. A judge sitting in Freehold at the Monmouth County Superior Court can sentence you to 5-10 years in prison, fine you up to $150,000, and will require you to comply with Megans Law and Parole Supervision for Life (“PSL”). You may also be subject to a sex offender restraining order that precludes you from having any contact with the alleged victim.

 

Will I Be Able To Get A Monmouth County Sexual Assault Conviction Expunged?

N.J.S.A. 2C:52-2b outlines the types of convictions that cannot be expunged. While aggravated sexual assault is among those listed, sexual assault is not. Accordingly, you can expunge a criminal record for sex assault. Please note that your obligations under Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life are unaffected by an expungement. 

Can I Get Pretrial Intervention If I Am Charged With Sex Assault in Monmouth County?

Unfortunately, a second degree crime like sexual assault is ineligible for Pretrial Intervention (“PTI”). You can only obtain this form of relief if the prosecutor consents to your application and this is something that is rarely extended. It will take an extremely skilled and persuasive Monmouth County sexual assault defense lawyer to secure PTI. We believe that the team at our law firm is capable of providing the best chance of this outcome.

How Does New Jersey Law Define Sexual Assault?

The offense of sexual assault is set forth at N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2b. Sexual assault is defined as five (5) different forms of conduct. The first type of sexual assault occurs when someone has sexual contact with a child under 13 years old. The other four (4) varieties of sex assault require sexual penetration under one of the following circumstances: (1) use of physical force or coercion without severe personal injury; (2) the accused had supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim (e.g. probation, parole, hospital, prison or other institution); (3) the victim is at least 16 but less than 18 and the actor is related to the victim (3rd degree), has supervisory/disciplinary power over the victim, or is the guardian, head of household or family parent to the victim; or (4) the victim is at least 13 but less than 16 years old and the actor is at least four years older than the victim.

Why Should I Choose A Certified Criminal Trial Attorney To Defend A Monmouth County Sex Assault Offense?

A lack of understanding of what is entailed in defending a sexual assault charge often leads defendants or their families to hire an attorney for the wrong reasons. The biggest mistake in our estimation is selecting a lawyer who talks a big game or throws a lot of rhetoric on his/her website but actually has limited, or more often than not, ZERO experience actually trying sexual assault cases. This is a potentially devastating shortcoming since these types of cases go to trial in a far higher percentage of criminal law cases than is the norm. Indeed, this only makes sense when you have a victim claiming that they were raped, penalties that are devastating, and extraordinarily few opportunities for non-custodial (i.e. no jail or prison) plea bargains. Don’t make same mistake. Here at Marshall Criminal Defense we have vast experience conducting trials in 2C:14-2 cases and this is something that is an imperative if you want to ensure the best opportunity for a successful defense.