Indecent Assault was amended by the Texas Legislature in 2019 as a charging option to less-serious sexual offenses. This new offense allows law enforcement agencies to make arrests on a wider variety of cases that may not qualify as a felony. It’s important to note however, that even though Indecent Assault is a misdemeanor, it can be charged in addition to felony sex-crime offenses that carry lengthy prison sentences or required registration as a sex-offender.
Texas Law & Indecent Assault
A person commits this offense if, without the other person’s consent, and with the intent to sexually gratify themselves, they:
- Touch the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of another person;
- Touches another person with the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of any person;
- Exposes or attempts to expose another person’s genitals or sexually-intimate areas; OR
- Causes another person to contact blood, saliva, urine, feces, or sexual discharge, of any person.
If conduct of a person constitutes a charge of Indecent Assault as well as another crime, the person may be charged with Indecent Assault, the other crime, or both crimes.
Punitive Consequences if Convicted
Indecent Exposure is a Class A Misdemeanor, carrying a range of punishment of up to a year in the County Jail and up to a $4,000 fine.
Arrested for Indecent Exposure in Houston?
If you’re the subject of an investigation or are facing criminal charges for Indecent Assault, Houston sex crimes lawyer Jack B. Carroll urges you to arrange a meeting as soon as possible and we’ll review your case thoroughly.
Serious criminal cases and investigations are best left in the hands of professional criminal defense lawyers. Preferably, those who are well-versed in criminal law, executing legal strategies, assuring that any law enforcement investigations are fair, and more important than anything else, winning your case. With an experienced sex crimes lawyer, you’ll have a better chance to avoid the penalties and social stigma connected with any criminal charges of a sexual nature.
Jack B. Carroll is a seasoned criminal law attorney who is also Board Certified® in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction earned by a small percentage of Texas lawyers. If you’re ready to consult with a proven winner, call 713-228-4607 or message our legal team by clicking or pressing here.
Resources
- Texas Penal Code Chapter 21: Sexual Offenses
- Houston Chronicle: Texas Sex Abuse Exonerations
- HPD: Sex Crimes Division
- Reason: False Sex Crime Accusations Destroys Family, Legally
- Harris County DA: Victim Resources
- Office for Victims of Crimes