Michigan Criminal Sexual Conduct Lawyers

You must consult with dependable, knowledgeable, and aggressive criminal sexual conduct lawyers in Michigan to fight your CSC charge and allegations. Defense attorney Nicole Blank Becker embodies all of those qualities.

Refer to Nicole’s bio, and you will see why Blank Law, PC is the defense law firm you need and must have when it comes to criminal sexual conduct crimes, no matter the degree of the charge.

Being charged with criminal sexual conduct in Michigan is devastating. Even without a conviction, allegations of most criminal sexual conduct crimes are enough to destroy families, ruin careers, and leave irreparable damage to your reputation.

Since these ramifications can be extremely long-lasting and life-altering, having an experienced, aggressive criminal sexual conduct attorney by your side is critical if you ever get arrested for or accused of a sex-related crime.

We can help you avoid incarceration, sex offender registration, and hefty fines that come with a conviction, along with other damaging repercussions that stem from any criminal sexual conduct (CSC) charge or sentence.

Breaking Down the Different Criminal Sexual Conduct

The degrees of criminal sexual conduct include CSC 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. While you may not have encountered any arrest, charge, or accusation yet, there could be an ongoing investigation you are unaware of.

Understanding the four different CSC degrees can help you be better prepared if and when you are charged.

Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree: Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.520b

First-degree CSC is the harshest charge of all four categories.

CSC first-degree involves sexual penetration (oral, vaginal, or anal intercourse). In essence, first-degree CSC involves serious sex offenses such as sexual assault, child molestation, or rape.

Criminal sexual conduct in the first degree also involves claims of serious mental issues, which sometimes makes a charge of CSC third degree increase to CSC 1st degree.

CSC 1st degree usually has an enormous psychological toll on those involved.

Upon conviction, criminal sexual conduct in the first-degree penalties can attract up to life in prison. If a child under the age of 13 alleges penetration, the sex offender faces a mandatory minimum sentencing of 25 years in prison, along with needing to be put on Michigan’s sex offender registry for life.

Under the Michigan Penal Code section 750.520b, the actions of the accused that may result in a first-degree charge include sexual penetration with the following circumstances:

• Involving a child under 13 years
• With an individual aged not below 13, but less than 16 years of age as long as the sex offender is a member of the victim’s household, holds a position of authority to force penetration, or is related to the victim by blood or affinity to the fourth degree
• With another person when armed or with something the victim believes is a weapon
• With another person while committing another felony
• That results in an injury to a person as you use force to achieve sexual intercourse
• With another person, while having prior knowledge of their physical or mental incapacitation and is related to the fourth degree or over whom you hold a position of power that you use to have sexual intercourse with the person
• Resulting in an injury to a person to whom you knew their physical or mental incapacitation

According to the statute, using a position of authority as a school teacher, school employee, or volunteer to coerce sexual penetration or establish a relationship can also provide grounds for a charge of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree.

Additionally, an employee or a worker in a childcare facility who is accused of using their position to force penetration on a resident stands being charged with criminal sexual conduct in the first degree.

Criminal Sexual Conduct 2nd Degree: Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.520c

In the state of Michigan, second-degree CSC entails touching a person for arousal or sexual gratification, or sexually touching a person for revenge, humiliation, or out of anger.

Unlike CSC 1st degree, second-degree CSC does not involve penetration. Upon conviction, criminal sexual conduct in the second degree can attract penalties of up to 15 years in prison.

Under the Michigan Penal Code section 750.520c, you can be charged with second-degree CSC for suspicion of having sexual contact with the following group of people:

• A minor under 13 years of age
• A child aged 13 to 16 who lives in your household and is related to the fourth degree
• A student at a school where you work in any capacity
• A resident at a foster home or a child care facility where you work
• A relative to the fourth degree who has a mental or physical disability and whom you hold a position of authority over
• A person in the department of corrections where you work
• A prisoner or probationer, when you are their officer in charge

Other circumstances that could constitute the basis for a CSC second-degree charge may include:

• Sexual contact occurs when the actor is in the course of the commission of another felony
• Sexual contact where you were aided by one actor or more where force or coercion was used or where the victim was physically or mentally impaired
• Sexual contact happened while you were armed or with an object the victim perceived to be a weapon
• The victim sustained injuries resulting from force or coercion during the sexual contact
• Sexual contact inflicts bodily injury to a victim whom you had prior knowledge of their physical or mental disability

Criminal Sexual Conduct 3rd Degree: Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.520d

Of all Michigan sex crimes, this can at times be a complicated form of CSC.

CSC 3rd-degree, also referred to as “Statutory Rape,” entails sexual penetration (oral, genital, or, anal openings) with minors from 13 years old to 15 years old, or even older, or people with disabilities.

In some instances, the complainant/alleged victim of third-degree criminal sexual conduct may not feel like moving forward, but the state may pursue charges anyway.

A CSC third-degree charge carries a possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison upon conviction. Third-degree CSC also has a mandatory minimum sentencing of one year in jail, and sex offender registration is required.

It is not uncommon for school-going teens to find themselves as the accused and charged with CSC 3rd degree for having what may otherwise be considered as consensual sex (legally you cannot have sex or oral penetration if you are 15 years old or younger) with their boyfriends or girlfriends, especially when all of the actors are minors, or one of the two are minors.

Third-degree CSC charges are similar to first-degree CSC charges in that they involve penetration.

Under the Michigan Penal Code section 750.520d, you can be charged with third-degree CSC if any of the following applies:

• A victim is a minor aged between 13 and 15
• The use of force or coercion
• A person you had prior knowledge of their physical or mental disability
• Your relation to the fourth degree, who isn’t your spouse, and to whom you held a position of authority
• A student aged 16 to 18 when you were a teacher or worked at the school in any capacity
• A functional needs student aged 16 to 26 when you worked at their school in any capacity, unless the student was your spouse
• A functional needs student aged 16 to 26 when you are an employee at the school or held a position of authority that was abused to coerce sexual penetration
• A minor of at least 16 who is in foster care or a children’s facility where you worked under any capacity

Criminal Sexual Conduct 4th Degree: Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.520e

Fourth-degree CSC in Michigan is a high-misdemeanor/low-felony sex crime offense involving unwanted sexual touching.

It typically involves touching a person for sexual nature purposes, and the accuser/alleged victim of 4th-degree criminal sexual conduct is typically an adult, physically or mentally incapacitated, a close relative, or through abuse of relationships like teacher-student or warden-prisoner.

Under the Michigan Penal Code section 750.520e, you may be charged with fourth-degree CSC if you are accused of having sexual contact with:

• A teenager between the ages of 13 and 16, plus you are at least five years older than they are
• Another person by using physical force, violence, threats to violence, or unethical medical treatment for an examination aimed at sexual gratification
• Through concealment of surprise
• A patient or client who is not your spouse when you are a mental health professional and is within two years of you treating the victim
• A student 16 to 18 years of age when working at their school, except when the victim is your spouse
• A functional needs student aged between 16 and 26 when working at their school, except if the student was your spouse
• A resident of a foster home or a children’s facility who is at least age 16 when you are an employee of the institution

Defending Your Criminal Sexual Conduct Cases

Criminal sexual conduct crimes of all degrees are often complicated, with some being motivated by malice.

Often the actor(s) may involve a family member, an estranged or current romantic partner, colleagues, or even friends.

Motivations for being accused of sex offenses could be anything from relationship tensions to misunderstandings. It is not unusual for people to be falsely accused of criminal sexual conduct crimes in the middle of custody battles, divorce, and breakups.

Regardless of the degrees of criminal sexual conduct in Michigan that you are accused of committing, the burden of proof always lies with the State. They must prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that you have done something wrong.

The outcome of criminal sexual conduct charges pressed against you will depend heavily on the lawyer you choose to defend you and your future. It is, therefore, an absolute necessity to hire an experienced, aggressive Michigan sex crimes lawyer to represent you in a criminal sexual conduct case.

These charges are no laughing matter. You need and deserve the BEST defense attorney with experience that surpasses all the others when it comes to criminal sexual conduct in Michigan.

An excellent criminal defense attorney will focus on the inconsistencies and gaps in the victim’s story and use them to show the jury, and all of those involved, how those gaps and inconsistencies align with your version of the events.

Trust Our Defense Attorneys at Blank Law, PC to Handle Your Criminal Sexual Conduct Cases

If you are ever accused of/charged with criminal sexual conduct in Michigan, choosing an experienced defense attorney who focuses solely on sex crime charges could make the difference between getting a conviction and having your charges dropped.

You do not want to take a gamble with an inexperienced sex offender defense lawyer who charges less when your whole future depends on your case’s outcome.

Nicole Blank Becker of Blank Law, PC is a top criminal sexual conduct attorney and is solely focused on sex crimes. She has prosecuted and defended thousands of accused persons for all four degrees of criminal sexual conduct and sexual-related crimes, with unmatched success.

Nicole also prides herself on keeping a great attorney-client relationship, and all confidential or sensitive information you say to her remains 100% confidential.

Contact us online or call Nicole today and learn how the best CSC defense lawyer in Michigan can help you handle your case.