On behalf of The Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A.
The proper criminal defense can make all the difference in a sex crimes case. Those accused of sex crimes tend to face aggressive prosecution and stigma from the community. However, this does not mean that they are guilty of the crimes in which they have been accused. In fact, like with any criminal charges, they have the opportunity to tell their side of the story in court and clear their name.
Recently in Fort Lauderdale, Florida a former youth pastor was cleared of charges of sex crimes against children. According to reports, the 50-year-old man had been accused of molesting at least 10 boys in their pre-teen and teen years while he was a youth pastor.
The man had been facing 27 counts of child sex abuse. However, he was found not guilty on each of the counts. His attorney stated that the alleged victims had often changed their stories and used theatrics in court. Furthermore, there were some reports that the alleged victims were trying to get money out of the pastor by making these accusations. Also, according to the attorney, there was little physical evidence of abuse in the case.
People should understand that in order to be found guilty of a crime, the prosecutors must prove that people are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, with proper criminal defense people can show that doubt about what really happened. In sex crimes cases, this is very important because of the serious consequences that people face. In this case, if found guilty, the man could have been sentenced to life in prison.
When you need a criminal defense attorney in Fort Lauderdale, you can contact us by calling 954-533-2756 for a free consultation.
NBC 6, “South Florida Pastor Found Not Guilty in Sex Abuse Case,” April 10, 2014