An 18-year old woman came to Fort Lauderdale for a spring break vacation. While in town, she hailed an Uber to take her back to where she was staying. But she jumped in the wrong vehicle. Then, things took a turn for the worse.
The man who owned the vehicle that she got into decided to play along. He pretended to be her Uber driver. He acted like he was taking her where she needed to go. But the pair ended up at his apartment. The man took her inside his apartment and then raped her. Afterwards, he took her where she originally wanted to go.
The woman managed to remember the man’s license plate. That made it easy for the police to identify the man and make an arrest. The man now faces charges of sexual assault. The charges are a felony. If convicted, the man faces years in prison. He has the right to the assistance of a Fort Lauderdale sexual battery lawyer.
Sexual assault of any kind is a serious criminal charge in the State of Florida. The exact charges depend on the age of the victim and the circumstances of the offense. In addition to jail time, Florida maintains a directory of sex offenders and predators. When an individual receives a conviction for a sexual battery offense, their name may be placed on the list. In addition to jail time and the sex offender registry, the individual may receive lengthy probation, court-ordered counseling and fines.
A Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer can help a charged individual fight the accusations against them. The individual has a right to a trial on the merits. They can work with their Fort Lauderdale sexual battery lawyer to question the witnesses against them. They may also call witnesses and testify on their own behalf.
With steep penalties for a sexual battery conviction, it’s critical to address the charges aggressively. There may be questions about forensic evidence gathered in the case. Eyewitness testimony may be scrutinized. In addition, your Fort Lauderdale criminal lawyer can assist you with selecting a jury that is going to hear the trial in an unbiased manner. They can also assist with making arguments to the jury and aggressively stating objections in order to challenge legal evidence and mount a strong defense.
If you or someone you know have been in a similar legal situation contact Hassett & Associates, P.A. at 954-791-3939.
