Sex Crime Defense

The single most valuable thing a defense attorney can do in a sex-crime case often happens before any charge is filed. In California, when a report is made, detectives investigate and then present the case to the District Attorney or City Attorney, who decides whether — and what — to charge. That pre-filing window is where a skilled defense has the most leverage, and most people forfeit it by talking to investigators or waiting to see what happens.

Do not agree to be interviewed, and do not accept a call from your accuser without understanding that it may be a monitored 'pretext' call designed to capture an incriminating statement. You have the right to remain silent and the right to counsel. Exercising those rights is not evidence of guilt — it's the sensible response of anyone facing a life-altering accusation.

When we're retained early, we can contact investigators on your behalf, control the flow of information, preserve evidence that may otherwise disappear, and present exculpatory facts and context directly to the prosecutor before a filing decision is made. In some cases that intervention results in charges being declined, filed as a lesser offense, or resolved without the public spectacle of an arrest and arraignment. Even when charges are ultimately filed, an early start means we're ready from day one rather than scrambling to catch up.

California punishes sex offenses more severely than almost any other category of crime, and the consequences reach well beyond a jail or prison sentence. Depending on the charge, exposure can include county jail or lengthy state prison terms, substantial fines, formal probation or parole, mandatory counseling, protective orders, and — the consequence that defines these cases — sex-offender registration.

Many sex offenses are 'wobblers,' meaning the prosecutor can charge them as either a misdemeanor or a felony based on the facts and your record. Because the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony can determine whether you face jail or prison, whether you must register, and for how long, how a case is charged and negotiated is often as important as the underlying facts.

The most serious offenses can fall under California's One Strike Law (Penal Code § 667.61 (opens in new window)), which imposes dramatically enhanced sentences — up to 15 or 25 years to life — for certain sex crimes committed under aggravating circumstances such as the use of a weapon, kidnapping, or multiple victims. Beyond the sentence itself, a conviction can carry collateral consequences that last a lifetime: loss of firearm rights, immigration consequences that can include deportation for non-citizens, restrictions on where you can live and work, damage to professional licenses, and the public stigma of the registry. These stakes are exactly why an aggressive, meticulous defense matters from the very first day.

For most people accused of a sex crime, registration is the consequence they fear most — and for good reason. California's Sex Offender Registration Act (Penal Code § 290 (opens in new window)) requires people convicted of qualifying offenses to register with law enforcement, keep that registration current, and — for many offenses — appear in a public database. Registration can restrict where you live and work and follows you across every move.

Until recently, California registration was effectively for life for nearly everyone. That changed on January 1, 2021, when a tiered system took effect. Convictions are now generally sorted into three tiers with different minimum registration periods: Tier 1 (a minimum of 10 years), Tier 2 (a minimum of 20 years), and Tier 3 (lifetime). For Tier 1 and Tier 2 offenses, a person may petition the court for removal from the registry after completing the minimum period and meeting the requirements — a meaningful path to relief that didn't exist before. The tiers are summarized in the table above.

Which tier applies — or whether registration is required at all — depends on the exact offense of conviction. That's why we treat the charge itself as something to be negotiated, not only the sentence. Our guide to how sex-offender registration can affect a California case sets out the questions to put beside any proposed disposition before it is accepted.

Boyadzhyan Legal Shield is based in Encino on Ventura Boulevard and defends sex-crime cases throughout the San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles — Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills, Studio City, Northridge, and the surrounding communities. We understand that in a case this sensitive, discretion is not a courtesy; it is part of the defense. We handle these matters privately and professionally at every step.

If you were arrested or are under investigation in the Valley, your case is very likely to be handled at the Van Nuys Courthouse, which hears criminal cases for the San Fernando Valley, and prosecuted by the local filing offices that cover the Valley. Serious felony sex offenses are typically filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, while certain misdemeanors may be handled by the City Attorney. Which office holds your case shapes what the filing decision looks like and who has to be persuaded, so establishing that is one of the first things we do.