At Sanders & Nettles, our Columbia & Charleston criminal defense lawyers aggressively defend the rights of our clients who are facing serious criminal charges throughout the State of South Carolina. The firm is dedicated to protecting the rights of clients charged with misdemeanor and felony sex crimes, and achieving for them the best results possible. If you have been arrested for sexual battery in South Carolina, contact Sanders & Nettles immediately for a free consultation.
Sex crimes are harshly prosecuted throughout South Carolina and the entire United States. Therefore, it is extremely important that you choose an aggressive, successful Charleston sexual battery defense attorney to represent your case. Sexual battery is a sex crime that can carry serious consequences, including imprisonment, probation, and steep fines. The lawyers at Sanders & Nettles have the experience and knowledge to defend clients facing criminal and sexual charges. Contact us today for a free consultation with a South Carolina sex crime defense attorney that knows the law and can help you with your sexual battery case.
Sexual battery is the touching of an intimate part of another person against his or her will, with intent to cause sexual arousal. In South Carolina there are varying degrees of sexual battery, including first degree, second degree, third degree, and spousal sexual battery.
S.C. Code of Laws 16-3-652 (1) regarding criminal sexual conduct in the first degree states that "A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree if the actor engages in sexual battery with the victim and if any one or more of the following circumstances are proven:
(a) The actor uses aggravated force to accomplish sexual battery.
(b) The victim submits to sexual battery by the actor under circumstances where the victim is also the victim of forcible confinement, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, burglary, housebreaking, or any other similar offense or act.
(c) The actor causes the victim, without the victim's consent, to become mentally incapacitated or physically helpless by administering, distributing, dispensing, delivering, or causing to be administered, distributed, dispensed, or delivered a controlled substance, a controlled substance analogue, or any intoxicating substance.
(2) Criminal sexual conduct in the first degree is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than thirty years, according to the discretion of the court."
Conviction of sexual battery or assault may include the following consequences:
- Heavy fines
- Imprisonment in state prison or county jail
- Rehabilitation
- Registration as a Sex Offender
- Probation
Being charged with sexual battery, or any other sex crime, can negatively affect your life and the lives of those close to you. In order to protect yourself and your rights, contact an aggressive sexual battery defense attorney immediately following your arrest. Our SC sexual battery defense lawyers at Sanders & Nettles are dedicated to protecting the rights of the accused. We have a reputation for fighting for our clients to gain the best possible results.