Institutional Sexual Assault in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
What is institutional sexual assault?
While all sexual assault charges are serious, certain circumstances can make them even more severe. Per 18 Pa. C.S. § 3124.2, institutional sexual assault is the act of certain institutional employees or agents engaging in sexual intercourse or indecent contact with an inmate, detainee, patient, or resident of the institute. This can be a form of licensed residential facility that serves minors, a mental health or mental retardation facility.
Some examples of the types of institutions defined under this statute include:
- Department of Corrections;
- County correctional authority;
- Youth development center;
- Youth forestry camp; or
- State or county juvenile detention facility.
If you are an employee or agent of this type of institute or facility, the penalties you can face for sexual intercourse or indecent contact are severe, as this is considered to be a felony of the third degree. This is punishable with a fine between $2,500 and $15,000 and/or imprisonment up to 7 years.
Institutional Sexual Assault of a Minor
In cases where the defendant is found guilty of institutional sexual assault of a minor who is under 18 years of age, it is considered a felony of the third degree. This includes against children who are under the care, supervision, guidance, or control of the defendant while attending school; this can be a principle, supervisor, teacher, counselor, or librarian-anyone who is deemed to be in "direct contact" with the students and children. Institutional sexual assault with a minor can also involve children who are receiving care from a child day-care center, boarding home, family day-care home, or other center for children.
Defense Against Pittsburgh Sexual Assault Charges
Criminal charges of sexual assault are nothing to take lightly; they have the power to not only completely cripple your reputation, but also cause damage to your career, relationships, and the trajectory of your entire life. For this reason, if you have been criminally charged, or are facing allegations, you need to have criminal defense that you can trust. Don't assume that because it was a false accusation that your innocence will save you. All too often, people suffer from penalties for crimes that they did not commit.
Don't let that happen to you. Instead, get the involvement of a reliable and aggressive Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer. At Blaine Jones Law, we take criminal sex charges extremely seriously. As trial attorneys, we understand the consequences of these situations and we are ready to do everything that we can to help our clients protect their freedom. We have successfully handled more than 10,000 criminal cases-isn't that the level of experience you want on your side? To learn more, contact Blaine Jones Law today!