Florida Firefighter Among Two Charged with Child Sex Crimes
A Hillsborough County fire lieutenant and a former state attorney’s office employee are both facing serious charges involving unlawful sex with a minor, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies say the couple, aged 39 and 37, both of Riverview, forced a 16-year-old to engage in sexual acts on April 27.
The case will be prosecuted in Polk County because one of the suspects is a former employee of the State Attorney’s Office in Hillsborough County.
Understanding the charges
Florida has strict rules when it comes to sexual contact with minors. In the state, it is not a defense to claim that you were ignorant of the individual’s actual age when you had sexual relations with the alleged victim. In other words, Florida law doesn’t care whether or not you thought the individual was over 18 at the time. Florida law and Florida prosecutors are more concerned with the actual age of the victim regardless of how old you thought they were.
Other states have different laws in place regarding foreknowledge of the victim’s age. Florida makes it illegal for any person over the age of 18 to have sex with a person under the age of 16, even if the sex is consensual. This means that if you are 18 years of age or older and have sex with someone under 16, you could end up facing serious criminal charges in Florida as these two individuals are now facing serious charges related to their sexual contact with a minor.
In Florida, no one under the age of 16 can legally consent to sexual activity. This means that—even if you’re 16—and have sex with someone under the age of 16, you can still be charged with a serious crime in Florida.
Additionally, if someone is 16 years of age or older but under the age of 18, Florida says that they cannot legally consent to sexual activity if the other participant is 24 years of age or older. In the case mentioned above, both participants were over the age of 24 when they allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old.
Criminal charges related to statutory rape depend on the age of the victim and the age of the perpetrator. In this case, the defendants are facing charges of being over the age of 24 and having sexual relationships with someone between the ages of 16 and 18. This offense is considered a second-degree felony in Florida. It carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Talk to a Tallahassee Sex Crimes Attorney Today
If you are facing charges related to sex crimes in Florida, then you need an experienced criminal defense attorney to represent your interests during the trial process. Luke Newman, P.A. represents the interests of those charged with sex crimes in Tallahassee, Florida. Call our Tallahassee criminal defense attorneys today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense right away.
Source:
wdhn.com/news/florida-firefighter-ex-state-attorneys-office-employee-charged-with-child-sex-crimes/
