When people in Milwaukee and elsewhere have been charged with a sexual offense they face potential consequences that can affect their lives and the lives of their loved ones in the present and future. A sex crimes conviction could lead to prison time, fines and the requirement to register as a sex offender. It is important that a person facing a serious sex crimes charge seek help in creating a strategic defense plan. A defense plan may help reduce the penalties the accused may face. In Milwaukee, a man who faced sexual assault and other charges has been given a plea deal for the second time.
Recently, an assistant district attorney announced that an offer to reduce penalties that was once relinquished would be reoffered to a defendant. The defendant, a Milwaukee man who is an expert in reptiles, is charged with second-degree sexual assault, third-degree sexual assault and other criminal charges pertaining to his reptile storage. Police say that hundreds of reptiles were found after police received a report that the man had sexually assaulted a woman who was seeking an internship with the man’s reptile rescue organization. If the accused accepts the reinstated plea deal, the sexual assault charges will be reduced to a fourth-degree sexual assault charge and the other charges would also be reduced.
If the accused was convicted of the second and third-degree sexual assault charges, he would likely have been placed on the Wisconsin sex offender registry. If an individual is placed on the sex offender registry, there are restrictions on where they may live and it could also affect their chances for future employment.
In Wisconsin, a sexual assault charge conviction carries significant penalties. Those who are charged with a sex crimes offense should be aware of all their possible defenses and create a meaningful defense plan that may assist in reducing the penalties associated with the charge.
Source: Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, “Plea deal reoffered in sexual assault, reptile abuse case,” Bruce Vielmetti, Nov. 7, 2012