Being accused of a sex crime in Massachusetts is a serious matter. Not only does the state of Massachusetts have harsh penalties for people convicted of sex crimes, but your name will be included for life on the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board. Anyone who logs onto their web site can view your photo and profile depending upon your sex offender level. This means that even after you have served your sentence and fulfilled any other penalties, you will always be known as a convicted sex offender.
Rape
Rape is a felony governed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265 Section 22(b). There are two elements that a prosecutor is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt before a defendant can be convicted of this offense: Read More…
Statutory Rape
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265 Sections 22A and 23 govern the crime of statutory rape. Statutory rape is sexual intercourse or unnatural sexual intercourse with a child less than 16 years old. “Sexual intercourse” refers to penetration. “Unnatural sexual intercourse” includes oral and anal sex. It also includes any other intrusion of a body part or of an inanimate object, into a person’s genital opening or anus. Read More…
Solicitation
The crime known as solicitation includes asking on behalf of a prostitute or looking on behalf of a prostitute for “johns,” or a customer. With law enforcement cracking down and running sting operations to catch solicitors of prostitutes, pimps and panderers, it is important for you to know where to turn in the event that it happens to you. Read More…
Prostitution/Sex For a Fee
Engaging in sexual conduct for a fee is a crime prohibited by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272 Section 53A. The law defines “engaging in sexual conduct for a fee” as either: (1) engaging; (2) agreeing to engage; or (3) offering to engage in sexual conduct with another person for a fee. It does not matter whether any sexual conduct actually occurs, as long as there is an agreement or offer to engage in the sexual conduct. Read More…
Open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior is proscribed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272 Section 16. This type of behavior includes the deliberate exposure of buttocks, genitalia or female breasts. Read More… In order to be convicted of Indecent Exposure under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 272, section 53, Read More… Distribution of Child Pornography in MA Beyond merely sending such material to another person(s), the distribution of child pornography includes using peer-to-peer networks, privately printing images, saving the material to a disc or thumb drive, or storing the material in a separate area on a computer hard drive. Read More…Indecent Exposure
Computer Sex Crimes
Disseminating Matter Harmful to Juveniles
Importuning
A charge of sexual solicitation and importuning means that a person is being charged with communicating sexually with someone under the age of 18 online. Read More…
Massachusetts Sex Offender Registration
Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
The sex offender registry is a comprehensive database that is managed by the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board to keep track of convicted sex offenders. When a person is convicted of a sex crime, the judge will order the offender to register their name and information with the sex offender registry board as part of their sentence. Read More…
Sexual Battery
Sexual Battery in Massachusetts refers to sex crimes not typically covered by rape statutes, such as unlawful sexual contact. Sexual battery is often characterized as sexual touching or penetration without consent of the person. The mere touching of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification qualifies as sexual battery. Penetration does not have to occur, unlike a rape charge. Read More…
Attempted Sexual Battery in Massachusetts
Attempted sexual battery occurs when the prosecution can prove that there was an intent by the defendant to place the victim in immediate threat and danger of sexual battery. Read More…
If you are facing charges for a sex crime in Newburyport, Salem, Amesbury, Salisbury, Lawrence, Ipswich, or any town in the Essex or Middlesex counties in Massachusetts, call Attorney Bonavita immediately at 978-376-6746 or email her with your case information!