Brooklyn Sex Crimes Lawyer
Robert Reuland is a Sex Crimes Attorney in New York City
No one needs to tell you you’re in trouble
Few cases are harder to defend in court than allegations of rape or other sexual misconduct. These crimes are investigated in New York City by specialized units of the Police Department, and they are prosecuted by elite units within the DA’s office. These people know what they are doing, and they are good at it.
So called “sex crimes” include rape, statutory rape, date or acquaintance rape, sexual abuse, child molestation, solicitation of a minor or a prostitute, incest, and others. We also handle computer crimes alleging sexual misconduct, such a solicitation of a minor over the Internet.
Why are sex crimes hard to defend?
Sex crimes are often alleged in situations where the putative victim is the sole source of evidence that a crime took place. The Sex Crimes bureaus of the DA’s offices in New York are, in our experience, primed to credit the testimony of the person claiming the offense, even where there exists no extrinsic evidence of wrongdoing. This puts a criminal defendant in such a case at a distinct disadvantage compared to other crimes.
Furthermore, frequently the defendants in sex crimes indictments are known to the complainant and are often family members. As in cases of domestic violence, even when a complainant recants and explains to the DAs that no crime occurred, prosecutors are often reluctant to end the prosecution, thinking that the complainant is merely hoping to put an unpleasant episode behind her. The phenomenon, too, operates to the disadvantage of a sex crimes defendant, whereas a robbery defendant for instance would benefit from the complainant’s recantation.
Date or acquaintance rape is particularly difficult to defend, since there is no question of misidentification nor will the one charged with the offense be able to deny sexual contact. The defense in such cases is purely a matter of the defendant’s intent. When defendant claims the sex was consensual, and the complainant says otherwise, who do you think the DA will believe?
You need an attorney
If you’ve been indicted, arrested, or the police “want to talk to you” in connection with any alleged sex offense, you need a criminal defense attorney who can give as good as he gets. You need an attorney who won’t — like the cops and the DAs — jump to conclusions once they hear the word “rape.”
At the Law Offices of Robert C. Reuland, P.C., we know that there are two sides to every situation. No where is this more true than in cases where someone is alleging sexual misconduct against you.
Therefore we will listen to you without judging you. We will work with the cops or if necessary the district attorneys seeking to put you in jail.
Call Robert Reuland today
We are pleased to confer with you at no cost to discuss your sex crimes case. Call Robert Reuland any time at 718-300-0626, or e-mail his office today. We will be happy to take the time to set your mind at ease. Regardless of whom you hire, protect your rights! Contact a skilled and experienced criminal defense attorney today.
The written law
The statutes relevant to New York sex offenses are set out below for your convenience.
Section 130.00 Sex offenses; definitions of terms
The following definitions are applicable to this article:
1. “Sexual intercourse” has its ordinary meaning and occurs upon any penetration, however slight.
2. (a) “Oral sexual conduct” means conduct between persons consisting of contact between the mouth and the penis, the mouth and the anus, or the mouth and the vulva or vagina.
(b) “Anal sexual conduct” means conduct between persons consisting of contact between the penis and anus.
3. “Sexual contact” means any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person not married to the actor for the purpose of gratifying sexual desire of either party. It includes the touching of the actor by the victim, as well as the touching of the victim by the actor, whether directly or through clothing.
4. For the purposes of this article “married” means the existence of the relationship between the actor and the victim as spouses which is recognized by law at the time the actor commits an offense proscribed by this article against the victim.
5. “Mentally disabled” means that a person suffers from a mental disease or defect which renders him or her incapable of appraising the nature of his or her conduct.
6. “Mentally incapacitated” means that a person is rendered temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his conduct owing to the influence of a narcotic or intoxicating substance administered to him without his consent, or to any other act committed upon him without his consent.
7. “Physically helpless” means that a person is unconscious or for any other reason is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act.
8. “Forcible compulsion” means to compel by either:
a. use of physical force; or
b. a threat, express or implied, which places a person in fear of immediate death or physical injury to himself, herself or another person, or in fear that he, she or another person will immediately be kidnapped.
9. “Foreign object” means any instrument or article which, when inserted in the vagina, urethra, penis or rectum, is capable of causing physical injury.
10. “Sexual conduct” means sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct, anal sexual conduct, aggravated sexual contact, or sexual contact.
11. “Aggravated sexual contact” means inserting, other than for a valid medical purpose, a foreign object in the vagina, urethra, penis or rectum of a child, thereby causing physical injury to such child.
12. “Health care provider” means any person who is, or is required to be, licensed or registered or holds himself or herself out to be licensed or registered, or provides services as if he or she were licensed or registered in the profession of medicine, chiropractic, dentistry or podiatry under any of the following: article one hundred thirty-one, one hundred thirty-two, one hundred thirty-three, or one hundred forty-one of the education law.
13. “Mental health care provider” shall mean a licensed physician, licensed psychologist, registered professional nurse, licensed clinical social worker or a licensed master social worker under the supervision of a physician, psychologist or licensed clinical social worker.
Section 130.05 Sex offenses; lack of consent
1. Whether or not specifically stated, it is an element of every offense defined in this article that the sexual act was committed without consent of the victim.
2. Lack of consent results from:
(a) Forcible compulsion; or
(b) Incapacity to consent; or
(c) Where the offense charged is sexual abuse or forcible touching, any circumstances, in addition to forcible compulsion or incapacity to consent, in which the victim does not expressly or impliedly acquiesce in the actor’s conduct; or
(d) Where the offense charged is rape in the third degree as defined in subdivision three of section 130.25, or criminal sexual act in the third degree as defined in subdivision three of section 130.40, in addition to forcible compulsion, circumstances under which, at the time of the act of intercourse, oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct, the victim clearly expressed that he or she did not consent to engage in such act, and a reasonable person in the actor’s situation would have understood such person’s words and acts as an expression of lack of consent to such act under all the circumstances.
3. A person is deemed incapable of consent when he or she is:
(a) less than seventeen years old; or
(b) mentally disabled; or
(c) mentally incapacitated; or
(d) physically helpless; or
(e) committed to the care and custody of the state department of correctional services or a hospital, as such term is defined in subdivision two of section four hundred of the correction law, and the actor is an employee, not married to such person, who knows or reasonably should know that such person is committed to the care and custody of such department or hospital. For purposes of this paragraph, “employee” means (i) an employee of the state department of correctional services who performs professional duties in a state correctional facility consisting of providing custody, medical or mental health services, counseling services, educational programs, or vocational training for inmates;
(ii) an employee of the division of parole who performs professional duties in a state correctional facility and who provides institutional parole services pursuant to section two hundred fifty-nine-e of the executive law; or
(iii) an employee of the office of mental health who performs professional duties in a state correctional facility or hospital, as such term is defined in subdivision two of section four hundred of the correction law, consisting of providing custody, or medical or mental health services for such inmates; or
(f) committed to the care and custody of a local correctional facility, as such term is defined in subdivision two of section forty of the correction law, and the actor is an employee, not married to such person, who knows or reasonably should know that such person is committed to the care and custody of such facility. For purposes of this paragraph, “employee” means an employee of the local correctional facility where the person is committed who performs professional duties consisting of providing custody, medical or mental health services, counseling services, educational services, or vocational training for inmates; or
(g) committed to or placed with the office of children and family services and in residential care, and the actor is an employee, not married to such person, who knows or reasonably should know that such person is committed to or placed with such office of children and family services and in residential care. For purposes of this paragraph, “employee” means an employee of the office of children and family services or of a residential facility who performs duties consisting of providing custody, medical or mental health services, counseling services, educational services, or vocational training for persons committed to or placed with the office of children and family services and in residential care; or
(h) a client or patient and the actor is a health care provider or mental health care provider charged with rape in the third degree as defined in section 130.25, criminal sexual act in the third degree as defined in section 130.40, aggravated sexual abuse in the fourth degree as defined in section 130.65-a, or sexual abuse in the third degree as defined in section 130.55, and the act of sexual conduct occurs during a treatment session, consultation, interview, or examination.
Section 130.10 Sex offenses; limitation; defenses.
1. In any prosecution under this article in which the victim’s lack of consent is based solely upon his or her incapacity to consent because he or she was mentally disabled, mentally incapacitated or physically helpless, it is an affirmative defense that the defendant, at the time he or she engaged in the conduct constituting the offense, did not know of the facts or conditions responsible for such incapacity to consent.
2. Conduct performed for a valid medical or mental health care purpose shall not constitute a violation of any section of this article in which incapacity to consent is based on the circumstances set forth in paragraph (h) of subdivision three of section 130.05 of this article.
3. In any prosecution for the crime of rape in the third degree as defined in section 130.25, criminal sexual act in the third degree as defined in section 130.40, aggravated sexual abuse in the fourth degree as defined in section 130.65-a, or sexual abuse in the third degree as defined in section 130.55 in which incapacity to consent is based on the circumstances set forth in paragraph (h) of subdivision three of section 130.05 of this article it shall be an affirmative defense that the client or patient consented to such conduct charged after having been expressly advised by the health care or mental health care provider that such conduct was not performed for a valid medical purpose.
4. In any prosecution under this article in which the victim`s lack of consent is based solely on his or her incapacity to consent because he or she was less than seventeen years old, mentally disabled, or a client or patient and the actor is a health care provider, it shall be a defense that the defendant was married to the victim as defined in subdivision four of section 130.00 of this article.
Section 130.16 Sex offenses; corroboration
A person shall not be convicted of any offense defined in this article of which lack of consent is an element but results solely from incapacity to consent because of the victim`s mental defect, or mental incapacity, or an attempt to commit the same, solely on the testimony of the victim, unsupported by other evidence tending to:
(a) Establish that an attempt was made to engage the victim in sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct, or sexual contact, as the case may be, at the time of the occurrence; and
(b) Connect the defendant with the commission of the offense or attempted offense.
Section 130.20 Sexual misconduct.
A person is guilty of sexual misconduct when:
1. He or she engages in sexual intercourse with another person without such person’s consent; or
2. He or she engages in oral sexual intercourse with another person without such person’s consent; or
3. He or she engages in sexual conduct with an animal or a dead human body.
Sexual misconduct is a class A misdemeanor.
Section 130.25 Rape in the third degree.
A person is guilty of rape in the third degree when:
1. He or she engages in sexual intercourse with another person who is incapable of consent by reason of some factor other than being less than seventeen years old;
2. Being twenty-one years old or more, he or she engages in sexual intercourse with another person less than seventeen years old; or
3. He or she engages in sexual intercourse with another person without such person’s consent where such lack of consent is by reason of some factor other than incapacity to consent.
Rape in the third degree is a class E felony.
Section 130.30 Rape in the second degree.
A person is guilty of rape in the second degree when:
1. being eighteen years old or more, he or she engages in sexual intercourse with another person less than fifteen years old; or
2. he or she engages in sexual intercourse with another person who is incapable of consent by reason of being mentally disabled or mentally incapacitated.
It shall be an affirmative defense to the crime of rape in the second degree as defined in subdivision one of this section that the defendant was less than four years older than the victim at the time of the act.
Rape in the second degree is a class D felony.
Section 130.35 Rape in the first degree.
A person is guilty of rape in the first degree when he or she engages in sexual intercourse with another person:
1. By forcible compulsion; or
2. Who is incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless; or
3. Who is less than eleven years old; or
4. Who is less than thirteen years old and the actor is eighteen years old or more.
Rape in the first degree is a class B felony.
Section 130.38 Consensual sodomy.
(Repealed Eff. 2/1/01, Ch.1, L.2000)
Section 130.40 Criminal sexual act in the third degree.
A person is guilty of criminal sexual act in the third degree when:
1. He or she engages in oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct with a person who is incapable of consent by reason of some factor other than being less than seventeen years old;
2. Being twenty-one years old or more, he or she engages in oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct with a person less than seventeen years old; or
3. He or she engages in oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct with another person without such person’s consent where such lack of consent is by reason of some factor other than incapacity of consent.
Criminal sexual act in the third degree is a class E felony.
Section 130.45 Criminal sexual act in the second degree.
A person is guilty of criminal sexual act in the second degree when:
1. being eighteen years old or more, he or she engages in oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct with another person less than fifteen years old; or
2. he or she engages in oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct with another person who is incapable of consent by reason of being mentally disabled or mentally incapacitated.
It shall be an affirmative defense to the crime of criminal sexual act in the second degree as defined in subdivision one of this section that the defendant was less than four years older than the victim at the time of the act.
Criminal sexual act in the second degree is a class D felony.
Section 130.50 Criminal sexual act in the first degree.
A person is guilty of criminal sexual act in the first degree when he engages in oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct with another person:
1. By forcible compulsion; or
2. Who is incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless; or
3. Who is less than eleven years old; or
4. Who is less than thirteen years old and the actor is eighteen years old or more.
Criminal sexual act in the first degree is a class B felony.
Section 130.52 Forcible touching.
A person is guilty of forcible touching when such person intentionally, and for no legitimate purpose, forcibly touches the sexual or other intimate parts of another person for the purpose of degrading or abusing such person; or for the purpose of gratifying the actor`s sexual desire.
For the purposes of this section, forcible touching includes the squeezing, grabbing or pinching.
Forcible touching is a class a misdemeanor.
Section 130.53 Persistent sexual abuse.
A person is guilty of persistent sexual abuse when he or she commits the crime of forcible touching, as defined in section 130.52 of this article, sexual abuse in the third degree, as defined in section 130.55 of this article, or sexual abuse in the second degree, as defined in section 130.60 of this article, and, within the previous ten year period, has been convicted two or more times, in separate criminal transactions for which sentence was imposed on separate occasions, of forcible touching, as defined in section 130.52 of this article, sexual abuse in the third degree as defined in section 130.55 of this article, sexual abuse in the second degree, as defined in section 130.60 of this article, or any offense defined in this article, of which the commission or attempted commission thereof is a felony.
Persistent sexual abuse is a class E felony.
Section 130.55 Sexual abuse in the third degree.
A person is guilty of sexual abuse in the third degree when he or she subjects another person to sexual contact without the latter’s consent; except that in any prosecution under this section, it is an affirmative defense that (a) such other person’s lack of consent was due solely to incapacity to consent by reason of being less than seventeen years old, and (b) such other person was more than fourteen years old, and (c) the defendant was less than five years older than such other person.
Sexual abuse in the third degree is a class B misdemeanor.
Section 130.60 Sexual abuse in the second degree.
A person is guilty of sexual abuse in the second degree when he or she subjects another person to sexual contact and when such other person is:
1. Incapable of consent by reason of some factor other than being less than seventeen years old; or
2. Less than fourteen years old.
Sexual abuse in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.
Section 130.65 Sexual abuse in the first degree.
A person is guilty of sexual abuse in the first degree when he or she subjects another person to sexual contact:
1. By forcible compulsion; or
2. When the other person is incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless; or
3. When the other person is less than eleven years old.
Sexual abuse in the first degree is a class D felony.
Section 130.65-a Aggravated sexual abuse in the fourth degree.
1. A person is guilty of aggravated sexual abuse in the fourth degree when:
(a) He or she inserts a foreign object in the vagina, urethra, penis or rectum of another person and the other person is incapable of consent by reason of some factor other than being less than seventeen years old; or
(b) He or she inserts a finger in the vagina, urethra, penis or rectum of another person causing physical injury to such person and such person is incapable of consent by reason of some factor other than being less than seventeen years old.
2. Conduct performed for a valid medical purpose does not violate the provisions of this section.
Aggravated sexual abuse in the fourth degree is a class E felony.
Section 130.66 Aggravated sexual abuse in the third degree.
1. A person is guilty of aggravated sexual abuse in the third degree when he inserts a foreign object in the vagina, urethra, penis or rectum of another person:
(a) By forcible compulsion; or
(b) When the other person is incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless; or
(c) When the other person is less than eleven years old.
2. A person is guilty of aggravated sexual abuse in the third degree when he or she inserts a foreign object in the vagina, urethra, penis or rectum of another person causing physical injury to such person and such person is incapable of consent by reason of being mentally disabled or mentally incapacitated.
3. Conduct performed for a valid medical purpose does not violate the provisions of this section.
Aggravated sexual abuse in the third degree is a class D felony.
Section 130.67 Aggravated sexual abuse in the second degree
1. A person is guilty of aggravated sexual abuse in the second degree when he inserts a finger in the vagina, urethra, penis, or rectum of another person causing physical injury to such person:
(a) By forcible compulsion; or
(b) When the other person is incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless; or
(c) When the other person is less than eleven years old.
2. Conduct performed for a valid medical purpose does not violate the provisions of this section.
Aggravated sexual abuse in the second degree is a class C felony.
Section 130.70 Aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree
1. A person is guilty of aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree when he inserts a foreign object in the vagina, urethra, penis or rectum of another person causing physical injury to such person:
(a) By forcible compulsion; or
(b) When the other person is incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless; or
(c) When the other person is less than eleven years old.
2. Conduct performed for a valid medical purpose does not violate the provisions of this section.
Aggravated sexual abuse in the first degree is a class B felony.
Section 130.75 Course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree.
1. A person is guilty of course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree when, over a period of time not less than three months in duration:
(a) he or she engages in two or more acts of sexual conduct, which includes at least one act of sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct, anal sexual conduct, or aggravated sexual contact, with a child less than eleven years old; or
(b) he or she, being eighteen years old or more, engages in two or more acts of sexual intercourse, which includes at least one act of sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct, anal sexual conduct, or aggravated sexual contact, with a child less than thirteen years old.
2. A person may not be subsequently prosecuted for any other sexual offense involving the same victim unless the other charged offense occurred outside the time period charged under this section.
Course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree is a class B felony.
Section 130.80 Course of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree
1. A person is guilty of course of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree when, over a period of time not less than three months in duration:
(a) he or she engages in two or more acts of sexual conduct with a child less than eleven years old: or
(b) he or she , being eighteen years old or more, engages in two or more acts of sexual conduct with a child less than thirteen years old.
2. A person may not be subsequently prosecuted for any other sexual offense involving the same victim unless the other charged offense occurred outside the time period charged under this section.
Course of sexual conduct against a child in the second degree is a class D felony.
Section 130.85 Female genital mutilation
1. A person is guilty of female genital mutilation when:
(a) a person knowingly circumcises, excises, or infibulates the whole or any part of the labia majora or labia minora or clitoris of another person who has not reached eighteen years of age; or
(b) being a parent, guardian or other person legally responsible and charged with the care or custody of a child less than eighteen years old, he or she knowingly consents to the circumcision, excision or infibulation of whole or part of such child’s labia majora or labia minora or clitoris.
2. Such circumcision, excision, or infibulation is not a violation of this section if such act is:
(a) necessary to the health of the person on whom it is performed, and is performed by a person licensed in the place of its performance as a medical practitioner; or
(b) performed on a person in labor or who has just given birth and is performed for medical purposes connected with that labor or birth by a person licensed in the place it is performed as a medical practitioner, midwife, or person in training to become such a practitioner or midwife.
3. For the purposes of paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section, no account shall be taken of the effect on the person on whom such procedure is to be performed of any belief on the part of that or any other person that such procedure is required as a matter of custom or ritual.
Female genital mutilation is a class E felony.
Section 130.90 Facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance.
A person is guilty of facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance when he or she:
1. knowingly and unlawfully possesses a controlled substance or any preparation, compound, mixture or substance that requires a prescription to obtain and administers such substance or preparation, compound, mixture or substance that requires a prescription to obtain to another person without such person`s consent and with intent to commit against such person conduct constituting a felony defined in this article; and
2. commits or attempts to commit such conduct constituting a felony defined in this article.
Facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance is a class D felony.
