Multiple Sex Crimes Significantly Reduced for College Student

We recently helped a college student in his mid-20s avoid the most severe penalties for multiple sex crimes – unlawful contact with a minor, two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, photographing or filming a sexual act of a child, and corruption of a minor. All of these charges are felonies, and if convicted they involve lengthy prison sentences, expensive fines, and registration as a sex offender.

Our client was a college student who worked at a retail store to help pay for his tuition. He was living with a woman he knew from work, and her daughter – a minor – also lived there. It was reported to the police that our client was engaging in sexual acts with the woman’s daughter. The daughter testified against our client and provided the police with physical evidence, including clothing, photos, and videos that supported the Commonwealth’s position. Our client faced serious state sentences that could have easily exceeded 20 years.

Concerned about what would happen to him, the defendant contacted Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC to represent him. Attorney Samir Sarna handled the client’s case over four court dates in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Samir thoroughly assessed the evidence and was able to get some of the physical evidence suppressed. Some of the charges also entailed a mistake of age defense. After aggressive cross-examination at the preliminary hearing, which exposed some of the weaknesses in the Commonwealth’s case, we were able to negotiate a withdrawal of all the Felony 1 and Felony 2 charges. These included unlawful contact with a minor, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, and photographing or filming a sexual act of a child. Samir was also able to negotiate for the remaining charge, corruption of a minor, to be lowered to a misdemeanor from Felony 3. Our client was ordered to serve three years of probation with a required registration as a sex offender for 15 years. Had he been convicted for his initial charges, our client would have faced over 20 years in prison and a lifetime sex offender status.

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.