Child sex offender working with children charges are serious.  Contact our sexual assault defense attorneys today.

Child sex offender working with children charges carry serious consequences.  The crime is a Class F felony, which means the maximum penalty is 12.5 years in prison and $25,000.00 in fines.  That 12.5 years prison breaks down into 7.5 years initial confinement and 5 years extended supervision.  Along with the serious legally punitive consequences, charges like this carry negative social stigmas.  Finally, if you’re accused of this criminal charge, your story may make the local media.

Considering the issues you’re facing, hiring a top criminal defense lawyer is a wise decision moving forward.  At Van Severen Law Office we focus 100% of our representation on criminal defense cases.  We certainly defend individuals facing all criminal and sexual assault charges.

Finally, our criminal defense lawyers answer calls 24/7.  Contact us at (414) 270-0202.  Let’s set up an initial consultation and begin fighting your case.

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What is a child sex offender working with children charge?

Section 948.13(2) of the Wisconsin Statutes prohibits child sex offenders from working with children.  The law indicates:

(a) … whoever has been convicted of a serious child sex offense and subsequently engages in an occupation or participates in a volunteer position that requires him or her to work or interact primarily and directly with children under 16 years of age is guilty of a Class F felony.
The law is relatively clear.  If the defendant is convicted of a child sex offense, he cannot work or volunteer in a position that requires primary and direct contact with children under 16 years old.
Finally, section 948.13(1)(a) of the Wisconsin Statutes provides the list of serious child sex offenses that qualify under this subsection:
  1. Sexual exploitation by therapist
  2. Variations of 2nd degree sexual assault
  3. Variations of human trafficking
  4. First degree sexual assault of a child
  5. Second degree sexual assault of a child
  6. Engaging in repeated acts of sexual assault of the same child
  7. Sexual exploitation of a child
  8. Trafficking of a child
  9. Incest with a child
  10. Child enticement
  11. Use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime
  12. Sexual assault of a child placed in substitute care

What are the elements of this offense?

All crimes in Wisconsin break down into numerous parts.  Each part of each crime is called an element.  Wisconsin Criminal Jury Instruction 2147 provides the elements of child sex offender working with children charges:

  • Firstly, the defendant was convicted of a serious child sex offense; and
  • Secondly, after being convicted of a serious child sex offense, the defendant engaged in an occupation or participated in a volunteer position that required the defendant to work or to interact primarily and directly with children under 16 years of age.

How do I know if I’m prohibited from working with kids?

Certainly knowing whether this crime applies to you is an important question.  Fortunately, 1999 Wisconsin Act 265 addressed this problem.  It created a statute that eventually became 973.176(3).  That law indicates:

Whenever a court imposes a sentence or places a defendant on probation regarding a conviction under [a serious child sex offense] the court shall inform the defendant of the requirements and penalties under s. 948.13.

So the answer here is certainly a simple one: the court must advise you, upon conviction for a serious child sex offense, that you cannot work or interact primarily with children.

A man stops a sex offender from working with children
Child sex offender working with children charges are certainly serious. Contact our top criminal defense lawyers at (414) 270-0202 for help.

How do we win my sex crime case?

Defending sex crimes certainly requires a different level of attention to certain aspects of your case.  For example, in a case like this we’d almost certainly want to retrieve a copy of the transcript prepared from your original sentencing.  While this factor will not invalidate your conviction, it is certainly a mitigating factor.  And mitigating factors are important at the time of sentencing.

Secondly, did you really work or volunteer with children, and did it require you to work or interact primarily with children under 16 years old?  If your position focused on 17 year olds, but involved interaction with a few 15 and 16 year olds, the second element of this offense fails.  And if the second element fails, the government cannot sustain a conviction against you.

Certainly all criminal charges are different.  Your child sex offender working with children charge is different from the next one.  And those charges are both certainly different from other criminal allegations.  Our point here is simple: every case is different.  And every case requires a different strategy.  At your initial consultation we’ll begin planning your defense and figure out the best way to defend your case.

Finally, why should I hire Van Severen Law Office?

The criminal defense lawyers at Van Severen Law Office are specialists.  100% of our practice focuses on criminal charges.  And a large amount of those charges focus on sex crime and sexual assault cases.  We’ve defended individuals in your position.  And finally, we’re familiar with the issues consistently present in these cases.

Finally, remember that we answer calls 24/7 and want to speak with you regarding your case.  Contact us at (414) 270-0202 and speak with one of our sexual assault defense attorneys.  Let’s start fighting your case.

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