Experienced Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys Protecting Your Future & Freedom
Being accused of a sex crime is one of the most serious legal challenges a person can face. Even without a conviction, the stigma alone can permanently damage your reputation, career, and relationships. A conviction can potentially result in years behind bars, mandatory sex offender registration, and lifelong restrictions on where you can live and work.
At The Maine Criminal Defense Group, our experienced sex crime lawyers and criminal defense attorneys provide aggressive, confidential representation for clients accused of offenses such as gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact, possession of child pornography, and other serious charges. We understand what’s at stake, and we’re here to protect your rights, your freedom, and your future.
If you’ve been charged, arrested, or are under investigation for a sex-related offense, contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation with a trusted Maine criminal defense lawyer near you.
Table of Contents
What Happens After You’re Charged With a Sex Crime in Maine?
Types of Sex Crimes We Handle in Maine
A skilled sex crimes attorney will be able to defend your reputation against such charges. In Maine, Title 17-A, Chapter 11 governs all sexual assault offenses. These include the following sex crimes which The Maine Criminal Defense Group has the experience to aggressively defend against:
Gross Sexual Assault
Gross Sexual Assault, (17-A §253), is a sexual act committed without consent, by force or threats, or against someone who cannot legally consent. Statutory rape can be charged under this law. Penalties range from a Class C felony up to a Class A felony, which carries up to 30 years in prison.
Unlawful Sexual Contact or Touching
Unlawful Sexual Contact or Touching, (17-A §255-A), is defined as any non-consensual interaction involving the intimate parts of another person, including situations where the victim is unable to consent due to age or mental incapacity ( statutory rape can be charged under this law), and can result in severe legal penalties, including jail time, fines, and registration on the national sex offender registry.
Indecent Exposure
Indecent Exposure, (17-A §854), is the act of intentionally exposing one’s genitals in public, or in a way meant to be seen, under circumstances likely to cause alarm. Usually a Class E crime, rising to Class D with prior convictions.
Sexual Abuse of a Minor
Sexual Abuse of a Minor (17-A §254), is considered to be sexual activity with someone under Maine’s age of consent, which is 16 (also known as statutory rape and charged under this law). The minor’s apparent willingness is not a legal defense.
Child Enticement
Child Enticement, (17-A §259-A), is considered the solicitation of a minor, often through text or social media, with intent to commit a sexual act. A Class D crime that becomes a Class C felony when the child is under 12.
Possession & Distribution of Child Pornography
In Maine, what most people call child pornography is charged as sexually explicit material depicting a minor, where possessing or accessing it falls under §284 and disseminating it falls under the more serious §283, with penalties rising based on the child’s age and any prior conviction.
Prohibited contact with a minor; sex offender restricted zone
Prohibited contact with a minor in a sex offender restricted zone, (17-A §261), is an offense when a person already convicted of a sexual offense against a child under 14 initiates direct or indirect contact with a child under 14, with a heavier penalty when that contact happens inside a restricted zone such as a school, park, playground, or child care facility.
Solicitation of a child to engage in prostitution
Solicitation of a child to engage in prostitution, (17-A §259-B), is person faces this charge for knowingly soliciting, directly or indirectly, someone they know or believe is under 18 to engage in an act of prostitution.
Visual sexual aggression against a child
Visual sexual aggression against a child, (17-A §256), is when an adult commits this crime by exposing their genitals to a child, causing a child to expose theirs, or using a camera or other device to secretly view a child’s intimate areas for sexual gratification.
Are Sex Crimes Misdemeanors or Felonies in Maine?
If convicted of any of the aforementioned sex crime offenses, serious penalties are likely to ensue. Depending on the type of sex crime, penalties may vary, but one may expect to face jail time and required registration in a sex offender database.
What Are the Penalties for a Sex Crime Conviction in Maine?
Penalties for sex crime convictions in Maine depend on the specific offense, the alleged victim’s age, and aggravating factors such as force, threats, incapacitation, or a position of trust. Sentences range from a Class E misdemeanor, carrying up to 6 months in jail, to a Class A felony for gross sexual assault, which can carry up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $50,000.
What Factors Affect Sex Crime Sentencing in Maine?
Several factors can elevate a sex crime charge or its penalties, including:
- Whether drugs or alcohol were used to impair the alleged victim’s ability to object
- Whether verbal or physical threats were used to compel the act
- Whether the alleged victim was unconscious or otherwise unable to resist
- Whether the alleged victim had not reached Maine’s age of consent
How Long Does Sex Offender Registration Last in Maine?
Sex offender registration in Maine is divided into three tiers:
- Tier I registrants must register for 10 years,
- Tier II registrants for 25 years, and
- Tier III registrants for life.
Registration carries ongoing obligations, including in-person verification, and can affect housing, employment, and personal relationships well beyond any prison sentence.
For less severe offenses, such as indecent exposure, a conviction may instead result in community service, probation, or mandatory counseling rather than registration or incarceration.
Because penalties for a sex crime conviction in Maine vary so dramatically based on the specific facts, securing an experienced, tenacious criminal defense attorney at The Maine Criminal Defense Group is critical to protecting your rights and your freedom.
What are the Statute of Limitations for Sex Crimes in Maine?
Maine law sets specific time limits for how long the state can file criminal charges after an alleged offense, known as the statute of limitations. These timelines vary based on the severity of the offense and the age of the alleged victim.
For sex crime cases in Maine, the following statutes of limitations apply:
- Gross Sexual Assault or Unlawful Sexual Contact (Class A, B, or C felonies):
The state has 20 years from the date of the alleged offense to initiate prosecution. - Sexual Assault Involving a Child Under 16:
For crimes such as rape, incest, or gross sexual assault involving a minor, there is no statute of limitations. Charges may be brought at any time, even decades later. - Most Other Felonies (non-sexual Class A, B, or C crimes):
Subject to a 6-year statute of limitations. - Misdemeanors (Class D or E crimes):
Must be prosecuted within 3 years of the alleged offense. - Absence from the State:
If the accused leaves Maine, the statute may be paused, although extensions are generally limited to 5 years.
These laws reflect Maine’s effort to allow ample time for victims, especially children, to come forward. However, they also create significant long-term legal risks for individuals accused of a sexual offense.
Should I Represent Myself for a Sex Offense Charge in Maine?
What are the possible defenses against sex crimes in Maine?
Common defenses to sex crime charges in Maine include consent, mistaken identity, the Romeo and Juliet age-gap defense, a reasonable mistake about the alleged victim’s age, and marriage to the other person. Which one fits depends entirely on the facts, because a charge is not a conviction and the state still has to prove every element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases can be difficult to fight without an experienced defense. Maine does not require proof of penetration to establish a sexual act, and when an offense involves compulsion, the law places no duty on the alleged victim to have physically resisted. That makes some accusations easier to bring, which is exactly why the defense strategy has to be built around the specific facts.
William T. Bly and The Maine Criminal Defense Group challenge the state’s case through motions, cross-examination of its witnesses, and evidence presented on your behalf.
Consent
If the charge depends on compulsion, such as gross sexual assault, and the encounter was consensual, consent is a defense. False allegations happen, sometimes after a messy breakup or a bad date, and someone being unhappy afterward does not turn a consensual encounter into a crime. Consent does not apply where the law says a person cannot legally consent, such as cases involving a minor or a person who is incapacitated.
Mistaken identity, or a crime that did not happen
Sometimes the alleged victim has identified the wrong person. Sometimes the events did not happen the way they were reported, or did not happen at all. This defense turns on the reliability of the witnesses, the strength of the physical evidence, and the timeline, and we use the weak points in each to test whether the state can actually prove you were involved.
Romeo and Juliet, the age-gap defense
Maine law protects young people in consensual relationships from being treated as offenders. Under §254, sexual abuse of a minor who is 14 or 15 requires the older person to be at least 5 years older than the minor. If you are less than 5 years older, that element of the offense is not met. This applies only when the minor is 14 or 15, not to a child under 14.
Mistake of age
Maine is one of the few states that still lets a defendant raise a reasonable mistake about the alleged victim’s age. Under §254, it is a defense to a charge involving a 14 or 15 year old that you reasonably believed the other person was at least 16, which is Maine’s age of consent. The question the court asks is whether your belief was reasonable, not simply whether the other person lied, though a convincing lie can help show that it was.
Marriage to the other person
Several Maine sex offenses apply only when the two people are not spouses. Sexual abuse of a minor and a number of the relationship-based gross sexual assault charges under §253 are written with a spouse exception. If you are legally married to the other person, that can be a complete defense to those specific charges. Whether it applies depends on the exact offense the state has charged.
Voluntary intoxication
Some gross sexual assault charges are based on the other person being impaired by drugs or intoxicants. Where that person knowingly and willingly took the substance, rather than having it administered by someone else, the facts may not support that particular charge. This one is highly fact-specific and depends on how the state alleges the impairment happened.
No two cases are alike, and the defense that fits yours depends on the exact charge and the evidence the state has.
Contact Our Maine Sex Crimes Attorneys For Help
The best way to make sure you get good results in your sex crime case is to hire a Maine sex crime defense lawyer to represent you. Again, sentencing and the resulting penalties will be strictly dependent on the type of crime that occurred and the circumstantial factors of the incident.
Contact us to speak with a highly experienced & skilled sex crime defense attorney who can help you fight your sex crime charges. We serve clients in need of help all across southern, Maine. Call us at (207) 571-8146 or contact us directly online. We look forward to helping you get your life back.
Related Articles
A recent USA TODAY article examined whether Graham Platner, until recently a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, could face criminal charges over a 2021 sexual assault allegation. The[...]
William Bly Comments on Eliot Cutler’s Probation Violation: Possibly Facing More Jail Time Former Maine gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler faces potential jail time after his probation officer filed a motion[...]
False Sex Crime Accusations in Maine: What Should You Do? An individual falsely accused of a sex crime in Maine may suffer many of the same indignities, personal problems, and[...]
In Maine, it is illegal for a person to have consensual sexual activity with a minor younger than 16, with a few exceptions. For anyone accused or charged with statutory[...]
AUGUSTA, Maine — A 44-year-old Albion, Maine man, Sean M. Eori, is on trial at the Capital Judicial Center after being indicted on 11 charges involving the alleged sexual assault[...]
Sexual exploitation of a minor is a severe offense in Maine with life-altering consequences. This crime involves persuading or enticing a minor into sexual acts, often aggravated by technology or[...]
Many individuals accused of sexual assault find themselves tried in the “court of public opinion” and immediately branded as “guilty.” This is unfair and contrary to the principles of criminal[...]
Facing a child pornography charge is one of the most daunting and life-altering experiences anyone can endure. These charges carry severe consequences, including potential prison time, hefty fines, and mandatory[...]
What happens when you are charged with solicitation of a minor in Maine? Solicitation of a minor is a criminal offense where an individual who engages in a conversation with[...]
Sexual assault and sexual battery both refer to criminal offenses where a victim does not provide consent to sexual contact. This contact may or may not involve penetration, force, violence,[...]
