Corruption of Minors Charge Dismissed in Allegheny County
A man in his mid-20s was recently charged with corruption of minors, providing alcohol to a minor, and indecent exposure in Allegheny County. Employed in the growing oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania, he was concerned not only about the long-lasting impact of a sex crime on his life but also about his employment. The major companies in the region conduct background checks on employees, and the charges along could have resulted in our client being fired.
The man retained Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC to represent him on these charges. We had previously represented this client for charges of risking a catastrophe. We had successfully defended him in a jury trial where that charge was fully acquitted after trial by jury.
In this circumstance, our client had been using prescription drugs and drinking while at his girlfriend’s house. He passed out on the couch and when he woke up in the middle of the night, he went to the bathroom and relieved himself in the bathroom sink. He was unaware that his girlfriend’s 16-year-old daughter was also in the bathroom since the lights were off and he was still under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
We attended four court dates in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on behalf of our client, and our defense was centered around his state of intoxication and lack of intent for the alleged offenses. At the preliminary hearing, our firm successfully negotiated with the prosecution to remove any charges that would result in our client needing to register as a sexual offender. At trial, we again successfully negotiated with the prosecution to dismiss all charges if our client plead guilty to indecent exposure. Since indecent exposure is a relatively minor offense (compared to the felony penalties for corruption of minors), our client accepted the plea deal.
Case results depend upon a variety of factors unique to each case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case.