The law divides and treats criminal defendants differently based on age. It can mean a great deal of difference to be 18 versus 17 in the court, particularly when it comes to a sexual allegation involving an underage victim. A New Jersey teen, now 19, has lived with the stress of that reality since he was charged with rape.
At the age of 18, the defendant reportedly had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old. He faced the possible conviction of criminal sexual contact or rape. Through a plea agreement, however, the defendant gets to avoid prison entirely.
Though the defendant won't have to serve time unless he violates the terms of his plea deal, he still does have to live with a severe consequence for having sexual contact with a girl whom he knew was underage. The offense means that the young man must register as a sex offender in the state of New Jersey.
Being a registered sex offender comes with limitations on a person's privacy and freedom. His information regarding his criminal background is available, for example, to a family down the street. The classification can limit where a person lives and what he can do with his free time. In New York, registered sex offenders have recently been banned from playing online games.
The defendant in this New Jersey sex crime case cannot have any contact with the girl he was involved with. If he does, he actually will be required to go to prison. As a registered sex offender, the young man also has to live by the rules of the registry laws, which can be hard to do with details of the sex offender registry requirements changing every so often.
Our law firm works with those who are facing the threat of rape allegations. To learn more about the types of such cases we can handle, visit our sex crimes page.
Source: The Inquisitr, "New Jersey Teen Sentenced To Time Served On Child Endangerment Charges," Dec. 27, 2012