Massachusetts Legal Developments Blog

The First Things to Do if You Have Been Accused of a Sex Offense

A man in Massachusetts is currently accused of trying to coerce two 15-year-old girls into performing sex acts at a Kingston mall. A report from the police department states the incident occurred a little after 5 p.m. on a Saturday. Law enforcement’s report includes various written statements of the different witnesses and victims who saw the incident occur.  

Based on the police report, the man offered to buy one of the girl’s food as well as sneakers to lure her to a “private” location. The man also lied about his age and stated he was 35. (In reality, the man turned 53 in May of 2022.) The man is also accused of requesting that the girl go home, following the girl throughout the mall, and suggesting that he wanted to “get in her pants.” Additionally, the police report states that the man attempted to lure another 15-year-old girl at the mall by offering to purchase her both marijuana and alcohol so he could “get in her pants” at a private location. At one point in the interaction, the girls even walked to a store but the man followed them and continued to participate in these sexual conversations with them.

How Law Enforcement Discovered the Man’s Actions

The police received information about the incident as the result of a call from a 13-year-old boy who is friends with the girls. The boy described the man to the 911 dispatcher, who then provided this information to security personnel at the mall, who were ultimately able to locate the man. The report provided by law enforcement states that the man admitted to interacting with the girls, but denied that the conversations were sexual. 

The Future of the Case

The man was ultimately arraigned in Plymouth District Court on two counts of enticing a child below the age of 16 as well as one count of accosting/annoying another individual. The man also expressed optimism that he will be able to successfully defend against the charges because the children will not show up to court. The man was held on a $25,000 cash bail or $250,000 security bond. The man is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing later in May. 

What Important Steps You Should Take

Being charged with a sex crime in Massachusetts can be a scary experience. To make sure that your situation resolves in the best possible way, though, there are some steps that you should make sure to take immediately. These steps include:

  • Avoid talking to law enforcement or giving any kind of statement about the event that occurred. Do whatever you can to avoid speaking to the police without an attorney present. Remember, what you say can end up being used against you. Do not be afraid to exercise your right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment.

  • Preserving evidence is critical if you have been charged with some sex offenses. Whether this evidence includes clothing or emails, evidence is in danger of destruction which is why you should make sure to promptly preserve it.

  • Speak to and gather anyone who can speak about your presence and behavior at the time that the alleged offense occurred.

  • Promptly contact a criminal defense attorney. Even though you might think that hiring a lawyer makes you look guilty, this is the best way to make sure that your rights are protected.

Contact a Massachusetts Sex Crimes Defense Attorney 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts takes sex crimes very seriously. If you or a loved one is charged with a sex crime in Massachusetts, you should not hesitate to speak to an attorney like Edward R Molari