As Seal Beach sex crimes criminal defense attorneys, we were interested in a short item about a man who pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor sex crimes related to children. The Orange County Register reported Sept. 14 on Alejandro Lorenzo Contreras, 24, who was accused of "annoying" a child as well as possessing child pornography. Both of those charges are misdemeanors, and Contreras is expected to receive a year in jail as well as three years of probation when he is sentenced on the charges. However, because those charges are on the list of crimes that fall under Megan's Law, Contreras will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, even if he stays in California. That is in doubt because officials suspect that he is in the United States illegally and are holding him in jail on an immigration hold, in lieu of bail. No sentencing date was reported.
According to the article, Contreras got into trouble July 13 in Stanton, when he approached a 12-year-old girl at the Stanton Public Library. He followed three girls inside the library, then asked the 12-year-old victim if she would take a picture of herself with her cell phone and send it to him. She did not, but chose instead to call the police on him. When they arrived, they found a pornographic picture of another minor on the phone. They also searched a home computer belonging to Contreras, but the article did not report whether they found anything illegal. Contreras pleaded guilty to the crime of annoying or molesting a child under 18 years as well as the crime of possessing obscene material depicting a minor. He may also face deportation and other penalties for an immigration crime if authorities confirm that he is in the country illegally.
The defendant's possible immigration status is bound to attract a lot of attention because it is a controversial subject. But our Cerritos sex crimes criminal defense lawyers would like to focus on the sex-related charges instead. We were interested in this crime because Contreras pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, but will still have to register as a sex offender (at least for as long as he stays in the United States). This is in contrast to most of the crimes that are considered registrable offenses in California, which include very serious crimes like continuous sexual abuse of a child and rape by force or fear. Most registrable offenses in California are felonies, but as this case shows, some are misdemeanors that might be considered relatively minor, such as indecent exposure. We believe it's unfair to put that crime -- or, in some circumstances, "annoying" a child -- in the same category as violent rape and molestation crimes.
If you are charged with a sex-related crime, you should call Howard Law, P.C. as soon as you can. As this article shows, many sex crimes carry the penalty of lifelong sex offender status, even crimes that you might not think are serious. Sex offender status means, among other things, that you will have to abide by severe restrictions on where you may live, you cannot be employed in certain jobs related to children, and you will have to register with the police once a year and every time you move. Failure to abide by these onerous restrictions is itself a crime, and most judges and juries do not care that it can be difficult to find housing within the legal restrictions. To give yourself the best chance of avoiding that status and keeping your freedom, you should get in touch with an experienced Orange County sex crimes criminal defense attorney as early as possible in the process.
Howard Law, P.C. offers free, confidential consultations, so you can talk to us at no risk or obligation. To learn more or set up a free consultation, contact us online today or call 1-800-872-5925.
