In New Jersey, sex crimes are serious criminal offenses. Prosecutors vigorously pursue convictions and harsh sentences for such crimes. If you’ve been charged with a sex crime in New Jersey, a conviction could result in significant consequences to your reputation, freedom, and future.
At the Law Office of Jason A. Volet, our New Jersey sex crimes lawyers will advise you about your options for facing and resolving your charges. With thousands of cases and over 15 years of experience in the New Jersey criminal justice system, Jason A. Volet understands both sides of the law. That’s because he has worked as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney. He’s been certified as a criminal trial attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court, and he knows how to build criminal cases with effective defenses to sex crime charges. Contact the Law Office of Jason A. Volet today for a free initial case evaluation.
What Are the Legal Penalties for Sex Crimes in New Jersey?
New Jersey law grades sex crimes by degrees, depending on the specific offense. Penalties for a sex crime conviction can include:
Degree | Prison Time | Fines |
First-degree offense | 10 to 20 years | Up to $200,000 |
Second-degree offense | 5 to 10 years | Up to $150,000 |
Third-degree offense | 3 to 5 years | Up to $15,000 |
Fourth-degree offense | Up to 18 months | Up to $10,000 |
Disorderly persons offense | Up to 6 months | Up to $1,000 |
More severe sex offenses can come with additional fines and jail time, including up to a life sentence and parole supervision for life. However, the penalties don’t end there.
What Other Consequences Are There for Sex Crime Convictions?
Convictions for sex crimes in New Jersey may carry other consequences beyond prison time and fines. Depending on the offense, a convicted sex offender may have to register with the state’s sex offender registry as established by Megan’s Law.
A sex crime conviction also results in a criminal record that will show up in background checks for employment, housing, or educational programs. A sex crime on a person’s criminal record may result in disqualification from many forms of employment, including positions that require contact with children or vulnerable persons. Contact our New Jersey sex crime lawyer today.
What Is Megan’s Law in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, Megan’s Law governs the obligations of certain sex offenders to register and report to state authorities. Sex offender registration enables law enforcement officials to monitor known offenders for potential future sex crimes and give the public notice about individuals who have committed sex crimes.
An Overview of Megan’s Law
New Jersey enacted its initial version of Megan’s Law in memory of 7-year-old Megan Kanka. Megan’s neighbor had prior convictions for sex offenses before he sexually assaulted and murdered her in Hamilton, New Jersey, in 1994. Megan’s Law now provides the public with notice of any sex offenders in the community.
The law established a sex offender registry, which requires criminal defendants convicted of specific sex offenses to register on the public registry. The New Jersey State Police maintain the Megan’s Law registry, with most information accessible online. The information included about a particular sex offender depends on the offender’s categorization. Offenders with a high risk of re-offense will have more information listed on the public registry than offenders with a moderate or minimal risk of re-offense.
Differentiating Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 Sexual Offenders
Sex offenders considered to pose a high risk of committing another sex offense are classified as Tier 3 offenders. These offenders have the most significant amount of personal information published on the public internet registry. Offenders with a moderate risk of re-offense fall into the category of Tier 2 offenders, with most information about them (with certain exceptions) also included on the public registry. Megan’s Law excludes Tier 1 offenders – convicted sex offenders deemed with a low risk of re-offense – from disclosure on the public internet registry. However, law enforcement will know about the sex offender’s status.
Registration Requirements
After committing a first offense requiring registry under Megan’s Law, a person must comply with their registration obligations for 15 years following conviction or release from imprisonment, whichever occurs later. After 15 years, a registrant under Megan’s Law who has not committed another offense may petition to terminate their registration obligations. The court can grant the petition if the registrant likely does not threaten the public.
People with convictions for sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault may not be eligible for removal from the list. Those convicted of two or more sex offenses face lifetime registration obligations and cannot petition to terminate their obligations. Our New Jersey sex crime lawyer can help.
Public Notification
Individuals who qualify as Tier 2 or Tier 3 sex offenders will likely have various categories of information published on the state’s internet sex offender registry made available to the public. The information included on the registry includes:
- A photograph of the registrant and the date of the photograph
- The registrant’s name and any known aliases
- The registrant’s address
- The qualifying sex offenses committed by the registrant
- A brief description of the offender’s modus operandi (method of offense)
- Whether officials have deemed the registrant to pose a moderate or high risk of re-offense
- A physical description of the offender, including gender, age, date of birth, race, hair color, eye color, height, weight, tattoos, or distinguishing scars
- A description of the offender’s known registered vehicles, including make, model, year, color, and plate number