Defending Clients Charged With Violent Crimes

In the state of Florida, criminal charges are serious matters, with punishments ranging from a lengthy prison term to a death sentence. Thus, it is imperative that you hire a skilled and knowledgeable attorney who is determined to fight for you.

Amanda Powers Sellers PA, The Power Defense handles all levels of violent crime cases and offers legal assistance to individuals facing such charges. The law firm has also created a guide detailing the definition, scope, and consequences of violent crimes.

What You Need to Know About Sex Crime Cases

In Florida, there are different types of sex crimes, including:

Sexual battery, also known as rape, is the oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by one person to a non-consenting individual by the use of force. It is important to know that consent is not a defense when the victim is below a certain age.
Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Certain Minor is a consensual or non-consensual sexual act with a minor. The offense is determined by the age of the offender and the age of the victim. Other factors that may contribute to the degree of the offense and the range of possible penalties are: whether the victim is mentally or physically handicapped, whether the victim was injured; whether the act was completed; and whether there was actual penetration. A capital sexual battery is punishable by mandatory life in prison if convicted as charged.
Lewd and lascivious activity involves children who are under the age of sixteen. The charge may be filed as a Lewd and Lascivious Molestation, Exhibition, Battery, or Conduct.
Child pornography
Exposure of sexual organs

Caution: Online activity, data sharing, and activity crossing state or country borders:

If you have been accused of child pornography or sex trafficking and have been contacted by a federal agent, you may be facing a federal indictment. The federal government will prosecute you if there is evidence of multi-state or multi-country criminal activity

Internet activity, including black web platforms, is highly monitored by the federal government. Oftentimes, stings (undercover investigations) will be initiated in an attempt to catch online predators. Sharing pornographic photographs or videos of minors is a crime.

If those photographs or videos cross state or country lines, and the federal government becomes aware, you will be prosecuted. It is very important to be properly advised and represented before making a statement.

You should also always exercise your right to remain silent. Call our office and speak to one of our experienced federal and state sex crimes defense attorneys for more information.

Why Choose Us for Your Sex Crime Trial

Sex crime cases are aggressively prosecuted in Florida, and even more so when the alleged victim is a minor child. The State Attorney's Office will sometimes have special prosecutors assigned to exclusively prosecute these types of cases.

You need an experienced criminal defense attorney who has defended countless clients charged with a wide range of sexual offenses. Our team has the unique skills to handle the complex issues involved in defending a sex crimes case.

Working With Qualified Experts

The effects this type of charge can have on an individual extend way beyond the possibility of losing your freedom. Your job, your reputation, your family, and your livelihood are on the line.

There are numerous defenses, and it is important to consult an experienced sex crimes attorney, so you can become aware of all of your options.

Luckily, our office has been handling these and other violent crime cases for years. We work with DNA experts, experienced investigators, independent laboratories, child psychologists, and a range of other types of experts to ensure that we have exhausted every possible defense.

What to Expect at Trial

Should your case proceed to trial, you can expect that the state attorney's office or federal government has carefully built what it believes to be a strong case. Our office is equipped with the knowledge and skills to aggressively defend any and all sex crime charges.

Your defense begins the day you hire us. We will immediately, through the use of investigators and our own independent experts, begin to build your defense. The prosecutors oftentimes “get it wrong,” and we have been defending these types of charges long enough to know this.

It is the prosecutor's inclination to believe the stories told by alleged victims, and it is our job to expose deceitful motivations behind false accusations if this is, indeed, suspected in your case.

Contact Our Team as Soon as Possible

If you or someone you know is under investigation or has been charged with a sex crime in Tampa Bay or the surrounding areas, your defense should begin immediately. Oftentimes, evidence is not properly preserved, and delaying your defense can have significant negative consequences.

Prosecuting agencies will utilize creative investigative tools to build their cases. You need an experienced attorney to fight fire with fire and guide you through the process, whether you have been formally charged or if you suspect you are being investigated. Do not hesitate to call our office for a free consultation, and remember that the most innocent behavior or statements can be used against you in a court of law.

Exercise your right to remain silent and never speak to law enforcement without an attorney present.

Only an experienced attorney can evaluate the unique facts and circumstances surrounding a sex crime case and provide you with individualized advice. Anyone who has been accused of rape or another similar sex offense should have at least a basic understanding of the Florida sex offense laws and commonly used defenses.

If you have questions related to your specific case, you can contact us 24/7 for a free case review. However, if you contact our office regarding a current sex offender registration question, we charge a nominal consultation fee.

What You Need to Know About Murder and Manslaughter Defense

Murder (1st degree): This degree of homicide is typically charged when it is determined that the killing was of a premeditated design and/or occurred during the commission of a felony. It carries a sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.
Murder (2nd degree): To be convicted of 2nd-degree murder, the state must prove that the killing occurred during the act of a crime but not in a planned or premeditated way or manner. This may result from a “heat of passion” incident.
Murder (3rd degree): No premeditation and no malice. A 3rd-degree murder involves the killing of another during the commission of a less serious felony than those felonies specifically designated under the 1st-degree murder statute.
Manslaughter (1st degree): An act that causes the death of another without malice or premeditation.
Manslaughter (2nd degree): An act that causes an unreasonable risk and could have been avoided that caused the death of another.

Why Choose Us for Your Murder and Manslaughter Case?

Murder cases are highly complex. An attorney who agrees to represent an individual who has been charged with murder must have the skills, experience, and resources available to defend a client accused of this crime.