Houston Sexual Coercion Defense Attorney

Sexual Coercion in Texas

The full text of Sexual Coercion in Texas can be found in section 21.18 of the Texas Penal code.

A person commits a sexual coercion offense if the person intentionally threatens (including by coercion or extortion) to commit:

• Prostitution
• Human Trafficking (certain sections)
• Continuous Sexual Assault of a Child
• Indecent Exposure
• Indecency With a Child
• Improper Relationship with A Student
• Invasive Visual Recording
• Unlawful Promotion of Intimate Visual Material
• Voyeurism
• Sexual Assault
• Aggravated Sexual Assault

To obtain (in return for not committing one of the above types of cases) any of the following benefits:

• Intimate visual material
• An act involving sexual conduct causing arousal or gratification, OR
• A monetary benefit or other benefit of value

A person also commits sexual coercion if the person intentionally threatens, including by coercion or extortion to commit:

• Murder
• Kidnapping
• Human Trafficking (certain sections)

To obtain:

• Intimate visual material, OR
• An Act involving sexual conduct causing arousal or gratification.

This entire section applies to threats, no matter how those threats are communication.  It doesn’t matter if the threat was through email or a website, or social media, or a chat room, or text, or any other type of electronic or technological means.

If you are charged with sexual coercion it will be a State Jail Felony.  A State Jail Felony has a range of punishment from 6 months to 2 years in the State Jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

However, if you have been convicted of this type of case before than a 2^nd charge would be a 2^nd Degree Felony.  A 2^nd Degree Felony has a range of punishment of 2-20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

What do I do if I am charged with Sexual Coercion in Texas?

Get a lawyer as soon as you can.  This is a felony.  It in not something to mess around with.  This is one of the newer types of sex crimes that exists in Texas and it is very serious.  The law is continuing to evolve to try to eliminate and discourage sex trafficking or sexual intimidation.

We need to sit down together and figure out what is the best way to approach your case.  Typically what I do when a new client comes in, is I sit there and listen.  I want to know your side of the story.  Many times individuals get arrested and no one is there to listen to their side of the story.  More than anyone, I need to know what happened (or didn’t happen), because I am going to be the one to defend you.

Once I know your side of the story we will talk about the potential defenses we have.  If we have no defenses then we will talk about mitigation and damage control, and what our options might be down the line.  If you are innocent, then we are fighting the case.  If you are guilty, and they can prove it, then my job is to get you the best deal possible.  Either way, you need a lawyer who is willing and ready to fight for you.