Indecency With a Child: Understanding This Serious Criminal Charge in Texas

 Posted on October 04,2022 in Criminal Defense

The state of Texas takes crimes against children very seriously, especially those that are sexual in nature. Even the accusation of being accused of a sex crime against a child can have severe repercussions on someone’s professional and personal life. If you are facing accusations or charges for sex crimes against children, it is important to understand the charges against you, as well as their potential consequences. In this blog, we discuss indecency with a child; read on to learn more about this charge, and then contact a criminal defense attorney with specific experience in sex crimes defense. 

What Is Indecency With a Child? 

Indecency with a child occurs when someone engages in any of the following behaviors with a child under age 17:

• Engages in sexual contact
• Causes the child to engage in sexual contact
• Exposes their genitals knowing a child is present
• Causes a child to expose their genitals

Sometimes indecency with a child requires proving intent; for example, someone who is urinating in an alleyway may inadvertently expose their genitals to a child without the intent to arouse or gratify their own or someone else’s sexual desire, which is an essential part of certain indecency with a child charges. Proving lack of intent may be an important part of a criminal defense. Another possible defense could be showing that the age difference between the victim and the accused is less than three years and that the accused did not use force or duress against the victim. 

What Are the Consequences for Indecency with a Child? 

Texas prosecutors tend to come down on child sex abusers very hard, often seeking the strictest penalties to make an example out of perpetrators. Indecency with a child is a second-degree felony; if convicted, a perpetrator faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000. Punishments may be increased with certain additional circumstances, such as coercion or violence, or if the accused has a criminal history. Conviction also requires the perpetrator to register as a sex offender for life. 

Contact a Dallas Fort-Worth Sex Crimes Defense Attorney Right Away

If you have been charged with, or accused of, indecency with a child in Texas, it is essential to retain a Tarrant County criminal defense attorney right away, even if you believe you are innocent. These charges can have an effect on the rest of your life, even if you are never convicted. Get the aggressive legal representation you need by calling our firm and scheduling a free consultation now at 214-544-0061. 

Source: 

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/docs/pe/htm/pe.21.htm