Sexual Assault Defense Attorney in Utah

Sexual assault, usually called “aggravated sexual assault” in Utah, is a secondary charge. That means it’s tied to another charge, such as rape, attempted rape, or some other sexual crime. As a secondary charge, most people tend to ignore it as being less important than the primary charge—whatever crime allegedly provided the source of the sexual assault—but that can be a fatal mistake.

While every form of sexual crime can result in a prison sentence, sexual assault raises the stakes substantially by adding 5 years or more to the minimum sentence for the crime. Especially for crimes where there is no minimum sentence, sexual assault establishes a minimum – and it can never be less than 6 years. Making things worse is that not every crime sexual assault is tied to is considered a first degree felony, but sexual assault is always first degree.

Don’t take any chances. We have 100+ years of experience aggressively defending our clients with a high level of personal attention to make sure you know exactly what’s happening every step of the way.

Contact us today for a free consultation at 801.980.9965.

What is Sexual Assault?

The definition of sexual assault is if, while committing or attempting to commit a sexual crime, the accused:

• Seriously injures the victim
• Uses or threatens to use a weapon
• Threatens to hurt, kidnap, or kill the victim
• Is aided or abetted by one or more other people

Punishment for Sexual Assault

Any form of sexual assault is considered a first degree felony. Any sexual crime that’s considered a first degree felony is grounds for a lifetime spent on Utah’s sex offender registry. That means that you can beat or reduce the primary charges, but still end up being labeled a sex offender—for life.

Furthermore, sexual assault charges carry minimum prison sentences of up to six years and include the possibility of a life sentence or even (unless you were a minor at the time) of life without parole. While six years is the minimum, 10 to 15 years are more common and that’s just as a starting point.

Combined, these punishments make sexual assault an incredibly serious charge. If your defense gets mismanaged even slightly, a mistake that took only seconds to make could end up costing you decades.

Why You Need a Sexual Assault Defense Lawyer

This is your life we’re talking about. With a first degree felony and a permanent place on the sex offender registry, your quality of life is doomed – that is, only if you go it alone.

At Wasatch Defense Attorneys, our highly qualified sentencing experts know exactly what you need to do to avoid these harsh penalties. Each of our highly responsive and caring lawyers is among the best of Salt Lake City’s defense attorneys – we’re always ready to answer any questions you have. We specialize in aggressively protecting your quality of life and we’ll go the extra mile for you. Nobody is better qualified to make sure the whole process is handled quickly and efficiently and you can be sure that no one else will care more about you or your needs.

Call Wasatch Defense Lawyers at 801.980.9965 today for a no-obligation case review.