Five men in Berks County, Pennsylvania, are facing charges including trafficking an individual, statutory sexual assault, and prostitution after they were arrested as part of an undercover investigation into human trafficking. All five had responded to ads promising sex with young teens in exchange for money, but the ads had been posted by detectives of the Berks County District Attorney's Human Trafficking Task Force. District Attorney John T. Adams said the arrests should serve as a message to potential future perpetrators that website ads offering sex with minors for money could be posted by the task force, which would arrest respondents and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

Charges for sex crimes are extremely serious, especially when the alleged victim is a minor. If you are facing such charges in Pennsylvania, retain qualified counsel immediately. The LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team is here to help you respond to these serious allegations. Call 888.535.3686 or contact us online to speak to a member of our Criminal Defense Team.

Pennsylvania Law Regarding Charges and Penalties for Sex Crimes

In Pennsylvania, first- or second-degree felony charges for sex crimes include aggravated indecent assault, sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, rape, and statutory sexual assault, a charge used when the victim is under sixteen and four years or younger than the alleged perpetrator. Indecent assault can be charged as a first- or second-degree misdemeanor or third-degree felony, and indecent exposure can be charged as a first- or second-degree misdemeanor.

Penalties for conviction of any sex crime tend to be harsh, especially at the felony level. For example, a conviction for involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, a first-degree felony, can include a prison sentence of up to twenty years and fines of up to $25,000. If the victim is under thirteen years of age, the prison sentence can be up to forty years. A conviction for a second-degree felony charge of statutory sexual assault results in a ten-year prison sentence and a fine of $25,000; if the accused is at least eleven older than the minor victim, the charge is elevated to a first-degree felony and carries a punishment of up to twenty years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Charged With Sex Crimes in Pennsylvania? The LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team Can Help

Charges for any sex crime require especially skillful defense, given the strong societal condemnation of anyone charged with or convicted of these offenses. If you face charges for sexual assault, rape, or any other sex crime in Pennsylvania, you need the guidance of the experienced, knowledgeable attorneys at the LLF Law Firm. Our Criminal Defense Team can advise you on responding to these sensitive charges. Contact us today at 888.535.3686 or through our online form to hear how we can help.