Denver Sexual Assault on a Child Lawyer
Charges involving sexual assault on a child carry some of the most serious consequences in Colorado’s criminal code, and they demand a defense that is built from the ground up on facts, evidence, and a thorough understanding of how these cases actually move through the system. At DeChant Law, attorney Reid approaches every sexual assault on a child case with the same combination of preparation, storytelling, and genuine investment in the client’s outcome that defines his work across all serious felony defense. A charge is not a conviction, and the distance between the two is where skilled defense work lives.
What Colorado Law Actually Charges and Why the Distinctions Matter
Colorado’s sexual assault on a child statute, C.R.S. 18-3-405, covers a wide range of alleged conduct. The core offense involves any sexual contact with a child under the age of fifteen by a person who is at least four years older. But the charge can be elevated in several ways that dramatically change sentencing exposure. A pattern of abuse, allegations involving a position of trust, use of force or threat, or circumstances involving multiple victims can all push the charge into more serious classifications.
A conviction under the standard statute is a class 4 felony. When aggravating factors apply, the charge can become a class 3 felony. What makes these cases especially consequential is that many of them involve sentences in the indeterminate sex offender sentencing scheme, meaning a person may receive a minimum of probation up to a maximum of life in the custody of the Department of Corrections. That structure is intentionally open-ended, and understanding exactly which version of the charge you are facing, and what specific facts the prosecution is relying on, is the first critical task for your defense attorney.
How These Cases Are Built by Prosecutors, and Where They Can Be Challenged
Sexual assault on a child cases rarely involve physical evidence in the traditional sense. Prosecutors most often rely on statements, forensic interviews, behavioral testimony, and in some instances medical findings. Each of these categories has real vulnerabilities that a prepared defense attorney will examine carefully.
Forensic interviews are conducted according to specific protocols designed to minimize suggestion and leading questions. When those protocols are not followed, or when a child has been questioned multiple times before the recorded interview, the reliability of the resulting statement becomes a legitimate issue at trial or in pre-trial motions. Reid has the courtroom experience to cross-examine forensic interviewers, to challenge the chain of custody around prior disclosures, and to work with defense experts where the science supports it.
Medical findings often receive more weight than they deserve. A doctor who testifies that physical findings are “consistent with” abuse is not saying the abuse occurred. That gap between consistency and causation is something a defense attorney must force into the open for a jury. Similarly, behavioral evidence, the idea that a child acted a certain way because abuse happened, is often based on assumptions that can be contested with the right preparation.
Denver cases often flow through the Denver Juvenile Justice Center or, depending on jurisdiction, through county courts in Jefferson, Arapahoe, or Adams County. If the alleged conduct involves a school, church, youth sports program, or other institutional setting, federal charges may also come into play. Knowing which courthouse is handling the case, which prosecutors typically handle the docket, and how judges in that jurisdiction approach evidentiary issues is knowledge that shapes defense strategy from day one.
Sex Offender Registration and What a Conviction Truly Costs
Beyond the immediate sentencing range, a conviction for sexual assault on a child in Colorado triggers mandatory registration as a sex offender under the Colorado Sex Offender Registration Act. Registration is not a short-term requirement. Depending on the offense and subsequent risk classification, registration can be required for decades or for life. That requirement follows a person into every housing application, every employment background check, and every community in which they try to build a life.
Registration requirements affect where you can live relative to schools, parks, and daycare facilities. They affect your ability to travel. They can affect parental rights in separate family court proceedings that run parallel to the criminal case. The collateral weight of registration is, for many people, more consequential in their daily lives than the sentence itself, and it is one of the reasons why every available defense must be pursued rigorously from the beginning rather than treated as a charge to simply plead down.
Colorado also maintains a public internet database that posts registrant information, which means the consequences of a conviction become visible to employers, neighbors, and others in a way that other felony convictions do not. This is context that belongs in your defense planning from the first conversation, not something to consider only after a plea offer has been made.
Answers to What Clients Are Actually Asking
Can these charges be dismissed before trial?
Yes, and it happens. Pre-trial motions challenging the admissibility of evidence, the validity of the forensic interview, or the sufficiency of the charging document can result in dismissals or in the suppression of evidence that significantly weakens the prosecution’s case. Reid’s track record of case dismissals across serious felony charges, including domestic violence and assault cases, reflects his commitment to pursuing every procedural and substantive argument available.
What if the accusation came from a custody dispute or another family conflict?
False allegations do arise in the context of contentious custody situations, and they are taken seriously in these cases. The defense will investigate the timeline of the allegation relative to any family court proceedings, examine communications between adults in the child’s life, and evaluate whether the circumstances suggest the disclosure was influenced by an interested party. This requires careful, methodical work that starts early.
Does a charge mean the investigation is over?
No. Defense investigation continues through and after charging. Phone records, communications, social media, school records, medical history, and witness statements that were not part of the original investigation can all become relevant to the defense. The sooner defense counsel is retained, the more of that evidence remains accessible and intact.
What is the difference between probation and prison in a sex offender sentence?
Under Colorado’s indeterminate sentencing structure for sex offenses, a person sentenced to probation is still subject to a maximum of life under supervision. Completion of sex offender treatment and compliance with supervision conditions determines whether and when that supervision ends. Prison sentences under the same structure carry a minimum term set by statute but remain open-ended at the upper end. The actual outcome depends heavily on the nature of the conviction, the results of risk assessments, and participation in treatment.
Should I speak with police or investigators who contact me?
This is one of the clearest areas of advice in criminal defense: do not speak with investigators without an attorney present. Statements made during what feels like an informal conversation can become central to a prosecution. Investigators are trained to build rapport and elicit information before a person fully understands the situation. Retaining counsel before any statement is given is almost always the better decision.
How does Reid prepare for trial in a case like this?
Reid’s training at Trial Lawyers College focuses on understanding the client’s story and bringing it to life for a jury. In sexual assault cases, that means taking the time to genuinely understand the client’s life, relationships, and circumstances, not just the facts alleged. Jurors decide these cases based on what they believe, and a defense that presents a full human being rather than a legal argument tends to be more effective than one that relies solely on technical challenges.
Can charges be reduced in a sexual assault on a child case?
Reductions do happen, and they typically require demonstrating to the prosecution that their case has weaknesses, whether in the evidence, the witness reliability, or the procedural history. Reid evaluates every case for both the trial path and the negotiated resolution path, and he will be direct with you about the realistic possibilities in your situation.
Facing a Child Sexual Assault Charge in Denver Requires Immediate, Deliberate Action
There is no version of a sexual assault on a child defense that benefits from waiting. Evidence disappears. Witnesses’ memories shift. The prosecution’s investigation moves forward regardless of what the defense is doing. From the moment an allegation surfaces, whether charges have been filed or only an investigation is underway, having a Denver sexual assault defense attorney involved is what creates options. Reid has defended serious felonies, including cases that went to trial when the evidence demanded it, and he handles these cases with the care that the stakes require. Contact DeChant Law to discuss your situation directly with Reid.