A 29-year-old Orange County man has been charged with child annoyance in connection with incidents involving four teenage girls on multiple occasions. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the man faces up to six years in prison. Officials say the man approached the teenagers three days in a row outside their school. According to the report, the man tried to have extended conversations with them and tried to get their phone numbers. He was arrested in his Whittier home after the authorities created a composite drawing based on descriptions and a subsequent photo lineup.
Under California Penal Code Section 647.6: “Every person who annoys or molests any child under 18 years of age shall be punished.” Also, every person who, “motivated by an unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in children, engages in conduct with an adult whom he or she believes to be a child under 18 years of age,” may face penalties including prison time.
A person does not actually have to even touch an alleged victim to be charged with these serious sex crimes in California. It is important that the authorities keep potentially dangerous individuals away from young victims, but it is equally important to protect the rights of individuals who did not commit a crime. An experienced Whittier sex crime defense attorney can review the circumstances of a case to determine if the charges can be reduced or dismissed.
The skilled criminal defense attorneys at Sitkoff & Hanrahan serve Orange County and all of Southern California. The stakes in any sex crime, especially those involving minors, are very high. Those convicted of these crimes not only face incarceration, but also hefty fines and mandatory registration as a sex offender. If you are facing sex crime charges, please contact our Orange County sex crime defense lawyers at 866-430-8383 for a no-cost consultation.