Sexual Assault Penalties in Darien

Understanding sexual assault penalties in Darien can be a key first step towards effectively contesting allegations of this nature both inside and outside the courtroom. Once retained, a knowledgeable defense attorney could provide the information and tactical guidance you might need to minimize the consequences your criminal could lead to.

What are the Degrees of Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault in the fourth degree is the only variant of sexual assault defined under the Connecticut penal code that is ever considered a misdemeanor offense as opposed to a felony. Someone convicted of the standard variant of fourth-degree sexual assault may face penalties commensurate with a class A misdemeanor, meaning a maximum one-year term in county jail and/or a $2,000 maximum fine.

Moving up a level of severity, sexual assault in the third degree and higher is always considered a felony offense in Darien and would be penalized accordingly upon conviction. More specifically, third-degree sexual assault is a class D felony under the Connecticut Penal Code, for which a conviction may lead to between five years’ incarceration in state prison as well as up to $5,000 in fines.

A person convicted of second-degree sexual assault has committed a class C felony with maximum applicable repercussions including a ten-year prison term—incorporating a mandatory minimum one-year sentence—plus a $10,000 fine. Finally, the highest possible penalties that may be imposed against a defendant convicted of first-degree sexual assault in Darien, a class B felony, are a minimum one year of prison time, that cannot be suspended, a maximum sentence of 20 years, and up to $15,000 in monetary fines.

Enhanced Penalties for Sex Offenses Against Minors

If a Connecticut resident is convicted of sexually assaulting a person under 16, the severity of their ensuing criminal charge will be enhanced by one level of classification regardless of what specific degree of sexual assault they were accused of. This means that a fourth-degree charge would become a class D felony, a third-degree charge would become a class C felony, and so on.

Accordingly, first-degree sexual assault is one of the few criminal offenses in Connecticut that may be categorized as a Class A felony punishable by ten to 25 years of incarceration plus $20,000 in fines. In addition, a Darien resident charged with specific types of first-degree sexual assault may face unique penalty ranges. Most notably, a conviction for aggravated sexual assault of a minor as defined under Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-70c carries a prison term between 25 and 50 years long for a first offense and a mandatory minimum 50-year term for any subsequent conviction.

Discuss Sexual Assault Penalties with a Darien Attorney

It is important to emphasize that the sanctions listed above only include the penalties that a court may pass down if a sexual assault charge ends with a conviction. Even if you are acquitted of any charges against you in court, the damage that an accusation of sexual assault may have on your professional prospects and your personal reputation can be immense.

Put simply, the all-encompassing severity of sexual assault penalties in Darien makes assistance from seasoned legal counsel, like the 5-star reviewed lawyers at Mark Sherman Law, especially crucial. Call today for a confidential consultation.