Fountain Valley Mom Charged with Sex Crime

A 43-year-old Fountain Valley woman has been charged with having sex with a 12-year-old boy. According to a news report in The Los Angeles Times, the woman has been charged with three felony counts of lewd acts on a child under 14 years of age, along with a sentencing enhancement for “substantial sexual conduct with a child.” The woman is accused of having sex with the boy twice. The boy’s mother discovered the woman in a room with her son and found her kissing the boy. The mother became suspicious and alerted police, which led to the investigation and the subsequent arrest and charges.

California Penal Code Section 261.5 states: “Any person 21 years of age or older who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years of age is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony, and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years.”

In addition to incarceration, the consequences for sex with a minor include mandatory registration as a sex offender. Convicted sex offenders are often ostracized from society. The social, professional, and financial impact of a sex crime conviction can be significant. Getting a job, a professional license, or renting a home are challenges for convicted sex offenders. Several Orange County cities have even banned convicted sex offenders from entering city parks without getting prior police permission.

The skilled criminal defense attorneys at Sitkoff & Hanrahan have a successful track record of handling sex crime cases in southern California. A number of sex crime charges involving minors stem from misunderstanding. If you or a loved one has been charged with committing a sex crime, please do not hesitate to contact our knowledgeable Orange County sex crime defense attorneys at (866) 430-8383 right away.