San Diego Indecent Exposure Defense Lawyers
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Indecent exposure crimes can have serious and devastating consequences, including jail time, fines, and registration as a sex offender. Under California Penal Code 314, a person who willfully or lewdly exposes themselves or their private parts for the purpose of offending others, or who makes another person expose themselves in an offensive manner, can be charged with indecent exposure and face fines and imprisonment.
If you are facing indecent exposure charges, having an aggressive criminal defense attorney on your side can help you defend and protect your name. At Premier Criminal Defense, we will fight relentlessly to ensure your rights and freedoms are protected.
To put a hard-hitting criminal defense attorney on your side, call Premier Criminal Defense at (619) 374-1268 today.
Penalties for an Indecent Exposure Conviction
Indecent exposure convictions can result in the following penalties:
- First Offense: Misdemeanor conviction with up to six months in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000. If a person committed the offense when entering an inhabited dwelling without permission, they are subject to up to one year in county jail or state prison.
- Subsequent Offenses: Felony conviction and imprisonment in a state prison.
- Registration as a sex offender: Whether convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, a person convicted of indecent exposure is guilty of a sex crime and must register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration Act.
At Premier Criminal Defense, We Fight to Win
For a person to be convicted of indecent exposure, the prosecution must prove that the defendant purposefully exposed themselves with the intention of offending others. Prosecution must also show that the defendant exposed their baregenitals to others. If a person’s genitals are covered by underwear, for example, the person has not violated indecent exposure laws.
Because certain requirements must be met for a person to be convicted of indecent exposure, a skilled criminal defense lawyer can present strategies to work toward getting the charges dropped or dismissed.
Defenses the attorney can raise include:
- Mistaken identity: the offense may have occurred in a dark area, and the plaintiff may not have clearly seen who exposed themselves.
- Unintentional exposure: If, for example, the defendant got caught on a structure or piece of furniture and their clothing ripped, exposing their genitals, the person did not expose themselves on purpose. It is also possible, in this case, that only the outer clothing was ripped and the genitals were still covered by underwear, so the person was not completely exposed.
- No intent to offend others: A person may have been at the beach, for example, and went behind a secluded structure to rinse off sand and had no intention of exposing themselves to others. In this case, the act may not fall under indecent exposure.
Our San Diego criminal defense attorneys have the experience and resources to develop a legal defense for getting your charges reduced or dropped. The penalties of an indecent exposure conviction are too severe to not take immediate action. If you have been charged with indecent exposure, call Premier Criminal Defense so we can start working to protect your rights.
Contact us online or call us at (619) 374-1268 for a free case evaluation.