A 29-year-old male caregiver has been arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly molesting a child. According to a news report by The Los Angeles Times, officials say the incidents that involved lewd acts occurred between March of 2008 and March of 2011. The worker has been charged with 11 counts of committing a lewd act upon a child as well as three counts of oral copulation of a person under the age of 14. The alleged offender apparently has a history of working with developmentally disabled children at a YMCA and at a high school. He has pleaded not guilty and is currently held on a $1.4 million bail.
Sex crime charges in California that involve children under the age of 14 can result in serious penalties. Under California Penal Code Section 288, a person is guilty of a lewd act with a child if an act is done “with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person or the child.” This serious crime is a felony and it can result in a lengthy prison sentence and mandatory registration as a sex offender. A person does not have to be convicted of a lewd act to suffer social and professional penalties. In many cases, the accusation of a sex crime is enough for someone such as a caregiver or teacher to lose their job.
If you have been charged of a sex crime in California, contact the Los Angeles sex crimes defense lawyers of Sitkoff & Hanrahan. We aggressively fight to protect the rights and future of our clients because we know what’s at stake. If you or a loved one is facing serious sex crime charges, please call 866-430-8383 to discuss your case at absolutely no-cost.