Accused of a Sex Crime? Call Tad

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The Truth About Sex Crime Cases

When most people hear the phrase “sex crime,” they picture something vague or based on what they’ve seen in movies—usually something dramatic, like an alleyway assault. But Texas law doesn’t even use the word “rape.” Instead, these offenses fall under broader and more technical statutes like sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, or indecency with a child. That’s important to understand because the legal consequences depend entirely on the specific charge—and so does your defense.

At The Law Offices of Tad Nelson & Associates, we handle sex crime defense every day, and each case is as different as the people accused. But what doesn’t change is how aggressively these cases are prosecuted—and how fast you need to act if you’re under investigation or already charged.

Let’s break it down.

Categories of Sex Crimes in Texas

Texas law separates these charges into three major groups:

Crimes Involving Children

These are the most aggressively prosecuted—and some of the most devastating to be falsely accused of. Offenses include:

• Sexual Assault of a Child
• Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child
• Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child
  (This applies when there are at least three incidents over 30 days involving the same child.)

The penalty for continuous abuse? A minimum of 25 years in prison, up to life—with no chance of parole. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Even if you’re innocent, an accusation like this can freeze your life in place and damage your reputation permanently.

Adult-on-Adult Allegations

These aren’t as common as you’d think, but they do happen—often in the form of date rape accusations. These cases typically revolve around disputes over consent and sometimes involve claims related to “date rape” drugs. Unlike child-related cases, adult-on-adult charges tend to be more fact-sensitive and hinge on inconsistencies in statements, timelines, and forensic evidence.

Possession of Child Pornography

This is a growing area of prosecution, especially with law enforcement and ISPs actively tracking internet activity. Most people don’t realize that platforms like Xfinity monitor all digital traffic. If you download or even attempt to download illegal content, your provider may report you. Law enforcement can then begin monitoring you—quietly—before executing a search warrant to seize phones, laptops, hard drives, and anything else connected to the internet.

We’ve seen many cases where the accused had no idea they were being watched. And when the police show up, it’s already too late to “clear things up.” That’s why legal representation needs to happen before charges are filed.

Juvenile Offenders & Sexting Cases

Another disturbing trend involves minors. Teens sharing explicit photos of themselves or others can unknowingly commit a felony. Two high school students exchanging images? Technically, that’s the creation, possession, and distribution of child pornography. We’re seeing more and more of these cases filed in juvenile court.

We frequently appear in Texas City and other juvenile courts across Southeast Texas, fighting to keep kids from being labeled as sex offenders for the rest of their lives over one bad decision—or even mutual teenage behavior they didn’t understand was criminal.

The Bottom Line

You Need a Serious Defense Team

Whether you’re an adult falsely accused or the parent of a teenager charged with something they didn’t fully grasp, sex crime charges are not something you can walk away from unprepared. These cases don’t go away quietly. They escalate. And if you wait too long to act, it might be too late to fix it.

If you’ve been contacted by law enforcement, are under investigation, or already facing charges related to a sex offense in Houston, Galveston, or any surrounding county, now is the time to act.

LEARN MORE: Innocent of a Sex Crime? Here’s What You’re Up Against

Call us at (713) 802-1631
Schedule Your Confidential Case Evaluation

We’ll treat your case with urgency, discretion, and the skill it demands. This isn’t the kind of accusation you fight halfway. You fight with everything you’ve got.