Rhode Island Child Molestation Laws

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RI molestation defense attorney John E. MacDonald is experienced with the Rhode Island child molestation laws and has a successful track record defending sexual assault cases in Rhode island.

Rhode Island First Degree Child Molestation Laws

§ 11-37-8.1 First degree child molestation sexual assault.

A person is guilty of first degree child molestation sexual assault if he or she engages in sexual penetration with a person fourteen (14) years of age or under.

Rhode Island First Degree Child Molestation Penalties

§ 11-37-8.2 Penalty for first degree child molestation sexual assault.

Every person who shall commit first degree child molestation sexual assault shall be imprisoned for a period of not less than twenty-five (25) years and may be imprisoned for life.

§ 11-37-8.2.1 Penalty for first degree child molestation sexual assault

 

Jessica Lunsford Child Predator Act of 2006

(a) Title and Legislative Intent. The title of this section shall be “The Jessica Lunsford Child Predator Act of 2006”. In enacting this section the general assembly intends that in order to ensure the safety of victims the most dangerous child predators be electronically monitored via an active global positioning system in order to ensure that their whereabouts can be easily ascertained by law enforcement and other responsible authorities at all times while providing treatment to offenders.

(b) Every person who shall violate the provisions of subdivisions 11-37-8.2.1(b)(1) – 11-37-8.2.1(b)(2) listed herein shall be electronically monitored via an active global positioning system for life and, as a condition of parole and probation, and for the duration of any period of his or her probation following his or her parole shall attend a sex offender treatment program to address his or her criminally offensive behavior, as determined by the department of probation and parole. The persons subject to this condition of parole shall include:

(1) Persons who commit first degree child molestation sexual assault on or after January 1, 2007 and the victim of the sexual assault is twelve (12) years of age or younger; or

(2) Persons who shall violate the conditions of § 11-37-8.1 on or after January 1, 2007 and be determined a high-risk of re-offense (level 3) offender under the conditions of § 11-37.1-12, and the person is deemed a child predator as defined in subsection 11-37-8.2.1(g) or have committed the offense in conjunction with circumstances involving kidnapping, torture or aggravated battery, and provided further that the victim to the offense is fourteen (14) years of age or younger.

(3) Any person who violates the terms of the global position monitoring conditions shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(c) Any costs associated with the requirements of this section shall be borne by the offender and the court is hereby authorized and empowered to utilize all resources available to collect the funds for these costs unless the court finds that the defendant is indigent. In such cases costs shall be waived in order to promote this section’s legislative intent.

(1) Any person who has reason to know that a person convicted of first degree child molestation as defined by § 11-37-8.1 or 11-37-8.2.1 is not complying or has not complied with the requirements of this section where applicable and who with the intent to assist the child molester in eluding a law enforcement agency that is seeking to find the child molester to question the child molester about or to arrest the child molester for his or her non-compliance with the requirements of this section and who:

(i) knowingly withholds information from or willfully fails to notify the law enforcement agency about the child molester’s non-compliance with the requirements of this section; or

(ii) harbors or attempts to harbor or assists another person in harboring or attempting to harbor the child molester; or

(iii) knowingly conceals or attempts to conceal or assists another person in concealing or attempting to conceal the child molester; or

(iv) provides information to the law enforcement agency regarding the child molester that the person knows to be false information commits a felony and shall be subject to imprisonment for a period of five (5) years. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as limiting the discretion of the judges to impose additional sanctions authorized in sentencing.

(2) Any person who permits a child predator as defined by this section to reside with them knowing that the child predator has failed to comply with the requirements of subsection 11-37-8.2.1(b) commits a felony punishable by up to five (5) years imprisonment and/or a five thousand dollar ($5,000) fine.

(e) Any person who intentionally tampers with damages or destroys any electronic monitoring equipment required by this section pursuant to a court order or parole board order unless such person is the owner of the equipment or an agent of the owner performing ordinary maintenance and repairs commits a felony and shall be imprisoned for not less than one nor more than five (5) years.

(f) The department of corrections, prior to the release from incarceration of any child predator, shall ensure that the child predator’s fingerprints are taken and forwarded to the bureau of criminal identification (BCI) division within the department of attorney general within forty-eight (48) hours after release from incarceration. The fingerprint card shall be clearly marked “Child Predator Registration Card”.

(g) For the purposes of this section “child predator” shall be defined as any person convicted of any violation of § 11-37-8.1, and who on a prior occasion has been convicted of a violation of § 11-37-8.1 or § 11-37-8.3.

Rhode Island State – http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/title11/11-37/11-37-8.2.1.HTM

Rhode Island Second Degree Child Molestation Laws

§ 11-37-8.3 Second degree child molestation sexual assault.

A person is guilty of a second degree child molestation sexual assault if he or she engages in sexual contact with another person fourteen (14) years of age or under.

Rhode Island Second Degree Child Molestation Penalties

§ 11-37-8.4 Penalty for second degree child molestation sexual assault.

Every person who shall commit second degree child molestation sexual assault shall be imprisoned for not less than six (6) years nor more than thirty (30) years.

Rhode Island Indecent Solicitation of a Child Laws

§ 11-37-8.8 Indecent solicitation of a child.

(a) A person is guilty of indecent solicitation of a child if he or she knowingly solicits another person under eighteen (18) years of age or one whom he or she believes is a person under eighteen (18) years of age for the purpose of engaging in an act of prostitution or in any act in violation of chapter 9, 34, or 37 of this title.

(b) As used in this section, the word “solicit” or “solicitation” means to command, authorize, urge, incite, request, or advise another to perform an act by any means including, but not limited to, in person, over the phone, in writing, by computer, through the Internet, or by advertisement of any kind.

Rhode Island Indecent Solicitation of a Child Penalties

§ 11-37-8.9 Penalty for indecent solicitation of a child.

Every person who shall commit indecent solicitation of a child shall be imprisoned for not less than five (5) years.

If you have been charged with child molestation call (401) 399-3551 the Rhode Island Child Molestation Attorneys at the Law Office of John E. MacDonald today for a free consultation.