Sex crimes are punished harshly in California. The resulting convictions may result in having misdemeanors and felonies on a person's criminal record. Punishments range from incarceration in county jail up to one year to imprisonment in the state prison. In addition, monetary fines may end up being as much as $10,000.

Many sex crimes result in a lifetime registration requirement as a sex offender. Section 290 of the California Penal Code requires people convicted of certain sexual offenses to register with the local law enforcement agency responsible for the jurisdiction in which they reside within 5 working days of their birthday and within 5 working days of changing their address. Failing to register may be punishable as a felony.

California Penal Code Section 288 defines lewd acts with a child under 14.

Any person who willfully commits any lewd acts upon or with the body, or any part or member thereof, of a child who is under the age of 14 years, intending to arouse, appeal to or gratify the lust, passions or sexual desires of that person or the child, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in state prison for three to eight years.

Any person who commits a lewd act described by use of force, violence, duress, menace or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person, is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in state prison for three to eight years.

Any person who is a caretaker and commits a lewd act upon a dependent person by use of force, violence, duress, menace or fear of immediate and unlawful bodily injury on the victim or another person is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in state prison for three to eight years.

Any person who commits a lewd act with the sexual intent upon a child of 14 or 15 years, and that person is at least 10 years older than the child, is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for one to three years, or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year.

In addition to criminal punishment of incarceration, the court may order the defendant to pay an additional fine up to $10,000.

If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with lewd acts with a child under 14, you must contact a skilled defense attorney immediately