Plea Bargains in Sex Crimes Cases

 Posted on June 20, 2024 in Sex crimes

Being charged with a sex crime can be a distressing experience. Even when you know you are innocent and misunderstood, the legal authorities are convinced you are a criminal. When this happens, you need to ask yourself whether you would rather fight the charges and hope to be found innocent or enter into a plea bargain. Potential penalties for sex crime charges can be quite severe, so this is never an easy decision to make. If you are being accused of sex crimes, speak with an experienced David County, UT criminal defense lawyer to understand your options.

How Can You Decide?

The reasons why someone might choose to take a plea deal instead of pleading innocent in court vary, but some common reasons include:

• Financial cost: Trials can be very expensive, and plea deals tend to be much less costly.
• Lesser penalties: Plea bargains typically result in less severe charges and penalties. It is a bit of a gamble, but your options tend to be the following: go to court where you can be found innocent or guilty with charges and a sentence, or accept a plea deal where you cannot be found innocent but any charges and sentences will be much less severe. If the prosecution has a strong case against you, this can add to your motivation to accept a plea deal.
• Time:  Plea deals are generally a much quicker way to resolve a case than a court proceeding. This means you can move past this challenging period in your life quicker.

 However, there are just as many reasons why you might reject a plea deal and hope to find justice in court. These reasons include:

• Unfavorable plea deal: The bargain you are offered might be unfavorable. For example, it might require you to accept responsibility for a crime you did not commit. If you know you are innocent, this can be hard for you mentally and emotionally. 
• Weak case: If the prosecution has a weak case or only has circumstantial evidence against you, you might feel confident in your ability to be found innocent. If that is true, it can be very hard to pretend to admit guilt for the sake of lesser charges when you will ultimately be considered guilty of a crime you never committed.
• Ends not justifying means: If a plea bargain means you never have to serve a day in prison, but you still need to register on the sex offender registry, you might decide it is not worth it since your presence on the list can affect you for years to come.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Salt Lake City, UT Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you are accused of a sex crime and offered a plea bargain, it can be very difficult to know how to proceed. A qualified Davis County, UT defense attorney can review the case against you and advise you on your chances of being found innocent. At Collins Rupp, P.C., we are passionate about protecting our clients’ rights and protecting them aggressively. Call us at 385-777-2753 to schedule a free consultation.