The first thing to know about an arrest for Sexual Imposition (O.R.C. 2907.06) in the Cleveland, Ohio area is that it is a crime that qualifies as a Tier One Sex Offense under Ohio law, so if you are convicted of Sexual Imposition, you will be required to register as a sex offender for the next 15 years, and face various hardships related to being a registered sex offender.
What is Sexual Imposition in Ohio?
By definition, sexual Imposition can be charged under a number of scenarios:
- The defendant knows that the sexual contact is offensive to the victim, or is “reckless in that regard”
- The victim is impaired and lacks the ability to fully appraise the sexual nature of the situation or to control the defendant’s actions
- The defendant knows that the victim submitted because they were unaware of the sexual contact
- The victim is between 13-16 years old, and the defendant is both over the age of 18 and four or more years older than the victim
- The defendant is a mental health professional who uses fraud to cause the victim, a patient or client of the defendant, to submit to sexual contact believing it is part of their treatment
You cannot be convicted of sexual imposition in Cleveland based solely on the testimony of the victim. Other supporting evidence must be supplied by the prosecution.
This gives your attorneys wide latitude to challenge evidence and attempt to get it thrown out.
Sexual Imposition charges aren’t easy to defend, but because they carry penalties that can include jail time (60 days is the maximum sentence for 3rd Degree Misdemeanors) and registration as a sex offender, the damage to your reputation can be total.
The attorneys at Patituce & Associates protect your reputation and your rights.
Call us today at (440) 771-1175 for a free consultation with a skilled Cleveland, Ohio area lawyer regarding sexual imposition.
