Aggravated Sexual Assault

Ewing Aggravated Sexual Assault Attorney

Aggravated sexual assault is the most serious of sex-related crimes in New Jersey. It encompasses rape and child molestation. As can be expected, a conviction for aggravated sexual assault carries substantial prison time. If you are charged with this offense in Ewing, Hamilton, Princeton, Trenton or Lawrence, you need to obtain the best legal representation you can afford. An attorney assisting you with such charges will be able to give you important legal advice and provide you with options on how to best to minimize your legal exposure. The skilled attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have years of experience representing clients faced with aggravated sexual assault charges. They have the legal acumen and expertise to provide you with a professional, yet aggressive defense. Call (609) 683-8102 for a free consultation.

Aggravated Sexual Assault Charge in Mercer County

The offense of aggravated sexual assault is described in the New Jersey statutes at N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a). To understand the crime of aggravated sexual assault, it is important to understand the definition of the term “sexual penetration.” Sexual penetration means sexual intercourse, oral or anal intercourse, or insertion of a finger or other object into the anus or vagina of a person. The amount of insertion, however slight, constitutes penetration.

Circumstances involved in Aggravated Sexual Assault. A person is guilty of aggravated sexual assault if he commits an act of sexual penetration with another person under any one of the following circumstances:

• The victim is less than 13 years old;
• The victim is at least 13 but less than 16 years old, and the actor is (i) related to the victim by blood or affinity to the third degree, (ii) has supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim by virtue of the actor’s legal, professional, or occupational status, or (iii) is a resource family parent, guardian, or temporary caregiver of the victim;
• The act is committed during a robbery, kidnapping, homicide, aggravated assault on another, burglary or criminal escape;
• The actor is armed with a weapon (or what the victim believes is a weapon) and threatens to use it;
• The actor uses physical force or coercion and is assisted by others;
• The actor uses physical force or coercion and the victim sustains severe personal injury;
• The actor knew, or should have known, the victim is physically helpless or incapacitated, intellectually or mentally incapacitated, or had a mental condition rendering the victim unable to understand the nature of his conduct.

Penalties for Aggravated Sexual Assault

Aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree crime. The penalty for a first-degree crime is 10 to 20 years imprisonment and a fine up to $200,000. Further, the penalty for an offense involving a victim who is under 13 years old (circumstance #1 above) is 25 years to life imprisonment, with no eligibility for parole before 25 years.

A person convicted for aggravated sexual assault will also be required to register as a sex offender for life under Megan’s Law.

Hamilton Aggravated Sexual Assault Lawyer

An aggravated sexual assault conviction can carry severe legal penalties, and can have a substantial impact on the rest of your life, including a stigma associated with you in your community, in your career, and with your family and friends. If you are facing a charge of aggravated sexual assault it is vital that you

y to help you as soon as possible. Even if you have not yet been formally charged with an offense, it is never too early to have a legal professional in your corner advising you as to how to handle any ongoing investigation. Contact the team of lawyers at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall. They serve clients from West Windsor, Hopewell Township , East Windsor , Robbinsville , Hightstown , Pennington

and the rest of Mercer County. For a free initial consultation, call (609) 683-8102 and speak with a lawyer who can stand by your side and defend your interests.