Sexual Contact With a Student Charges St. Louis, Missouri. Being charged with a sex crime, especially against a minor, can have devastating consequences for your personal and professional life and can affect your future and freedom for the rest of your life. Combs Law Group knows that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. We are nonjudgmental and always listen to what our clients have to say. If you’re facing sexual contact with a student charges in St. Louis, MO, call a Combs Law criminal defense lawyer (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a confidential discussion about how we can protect your future.
Sexual Contact With a Student Laws in St. Louis and Missouri
“Sexual contact” is defined in Missouri Revised Statute §567.010 as touching another person’s genitals or with the genitals, or the breast of a female person, including touching through the clothing for the purpose of arousal.
The sexual contact with a student laws in Missouri are set out in Revised Statute §566.086. A person commits sexual contact with a student if they have sexual contact with a student and are:
- A teacher
- A student-teacher
- An employee of the school
- A volunteer of the school or an organization working with the school
- An elected or appointed official of the school district
- An employee of a company contracted by the school or school district
- A coach, director or other adult with a team or club
The law specifies that consent on the part of the student is not a valid defense, and does not specify the age of the student. This means that sexual contact with a student is still a crime even if the student is 17, which is Missouri’s age of consent.
Sexual contact with a student is a class E felony for first-time offenders. Under Missouri Revised Statute §557.021, a class E felony is punishable by up to 4 years in prison or up to one year in county jail, and a fine of up to $10,000.
Our St. Louis Sexual Contact With a Student Lawyers
Even being just accused or investigated of sexual contact with a student in St. Louis and Missouri has major consequences. You’ll almost certainly be suspended from your job and possibly fired if the school district finds the claims to be well-founded. Friends and family may make assumptions before your day in court. But at Combs Law, our sex crimes lawyers believe in the presumption of innocence, the idea that you are innocent until proven guilty. We know that that are two sides to every story, and events can be interpreted differently by different people. We are committed to listening to what you have to say and conducting a full investigation into the case. We’ll look for evidence that doesn’t add up or evidence that may not be permissible in court because of how it was obtained or processed.
We also know that sometimes people do things that they never imagined they’d do. We’ll always seek to have your charges dismissed, and are always ready to stand by you at trial. However, if the evidence is stacked against you, the American justice system still allows you the opportunity to seek the most favorable consequences possible. Through cooperation and remorse, we may be able to reduce your sentence or ask for leniency during sentencing.
Whatever the nature of the allegations or the circumstances surrounding the alleged events, we know you’re likely fearful for your reputation, freedom and career. We develop a bespoke defense strategy for each of our defendants and always work to get the best possible resolution in your claim. All of our St. Louis sex crimes lawyers’ advice will be based on our experience and knowledge of the law, but we will always allow you to make what you believe is the best decision for your future.
Let Our St. Louis, MO Sexual Contact With a Student Lawyers Defend You
When you become our client, you will be able to call the attorney working on your case directly, 24/7. We know these accusations or charges have turned your life upside and created a sense of chaos. Combs Law can step in and provide a sense of stability, confidence and calm in these trying times. We are at our best when we are diligently doing everything we can to help good people in bad situations. If you’ve been accused of or charged with sexual contact with a student in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri, call a Combs Law sex crimes lawyer today at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free, confidential and nonjudgmental consultation.