Lewd or lascivious molestation where the accused is 18 or older and the alleged victim is under 12 is a life felony in the State of Florida.
This crime is a non-bondable offense due to the fact that it is a life felony.
Also, under the Jessica Lundsford Act, there is a 25-year mandatory minimum sentence that must be imposed if the offender is found guilty.
Aside from a possible life sentence, people charged with this crime risk becoming designated as a sex offender.
Lewd or lascivious molestation requires that the offender touch, in a lewd or lascivious manner, the buttocks, genitals, or breasts of the alleged victim.
You can also be charged with this offense for touching the clothing covering the alleged victim's buttocks, genitals, or breasts.
Both the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Broward Sheriff's Office have sex crimes divisions that specialize in sex cases involving victims under 12.
Due to the remarkably young age of some alleged victims, these sex crimes detectives are trained in how to speak to young children in order to coax sensitive information out of them. Furthermore, nearly all child sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation cases are not filed until the child victim undergoes a forensic interview by a trained child psychologist.
These forensic interviewers will use games, anatomical dolls, and other "child friendly" methods to get the young alleged victims to open up about possible sexual abuse.
Sex crimes against children carry harsh penalties. But in addition to the possible legal consequences, simply an allegation of a sex crime against a child is enough to ruin your life. Just an allegation can cost you your marriage, your family, you job, and your reputation in the community.
These crimes are carefully investigated and will usually not result in a quick arrest. If under investigation for a sex crime against a child in Miami-Dade or Broward, call me.