Search Results for: sexual assault
Texas Governor’s Designation of Mexican Cartels As Terrorist Organizations: Criminal Defense Perspective
On September 21, 2022, the Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a press release with its accompanying Executive Order GA-42 and the news that, at least in the State of Texas, Mexican cartels are now considered to be “terrorist organizations” by state law enforcement. In the release, Governor Abbott explains that the growing market…
Restitution Under Federal and Texas Law: Criminal Defense Overview
Our criminal justice system provides for the government to take property (real and personal) from individuals in a number of ways. For instance, monetary fines are established by statute as punishment alongside periods of incarceration. There are also forfeiture laws, which allow the taking of property even before any conviction has occurred. For more on…
Online Sex Crimes: Prostitution over the Web is Illegal in Texas
Internet prostitution is a very (VERY) lucrative enterprise here in Texas. Consider this: in 2019, criminal justice research studies estimated that 80% of the illegal prostitution industry in this country was conducted over the internet. Why? There are many reasons. Pimps and traffickers are reported to prefer online prostitution because it is harder for them…
Texas Continuous Violence Against the Family: TPC §25.11
On September 1, 2019, prosecutors in the State of Texas were given greater power to charge and convict individuals based upon allegations of domestic violence when HB1661 became law. In the House Committee Report, lawmakers explained the purpose of the new legislation as follows: “It has been noted that prosecutors are unable to pursue charges…
Child Sex Trafficking Arrest in Texas: Criminal Defense Overview
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) defines Child Sex Trafficking as “… a form of child abuse that occurs when a child under 18 is advertised, solicited or exploited through a commercial sex act. A commercial sex act is any sex act where something of value – such as money, drugs or a place to stay…
Manslaughter: When Killing Someone Does Not Mean Murder – Texas Penal Code §19.04
Tragedies happen every day here in Texas, where someone dies because of the actions or failures to act of another person. Sometimes, these deaths are criminally culpable and sometimes they are not. It is when someone dies because of another person’s intentional, knowing, or reckless action or as a result of their criminal negligence that…
Indecency with a Child Arrest in Texas
In Texas, it is possible for the testimony of a minor to result in the conviction of an adult for a felony sex crime involving child sex abuse. This can come with extended prison time as well as the serious social stigma for the accused (and his loved ones) that comes with being labelled as…
When Dating Leads to Arrest in Texas: Dating Violence Under Texas Family Code §71.0021
In Texas, romance that erupts into physical violence between two people who are married or live together is considered domestic violence that can form the basis of some serious criminal assault charges. For more, read our earlier discussions in: Family Violence in Texas: Crimes based upon Domestic Violence – It’s More Than a Fight That…
Family Violence Charges: 5 Reasons to Leave Before the Police Arrive
Domestic violence, referenced as “family violence” in Texas Penal Code §71.004, is one of the most common types of 911 calls received by police in this country, with one research study suggesting that as many as 50% of all police calls historically have dealt with domestic violence complaints. See, Hendricks, J., ed. Crisis Intervention in…
Organized Criminal Activity Charges Under Texas Penal Code §71.02
Organized crime for many is a term that deals with movie characters like the Corleone Family in the Godfather Saga or infamous criminals like Al Capone. Even the Encyclopedia Britannica, referencing names like John Gotti and Bugsy Siegel, defines “organized crime” as a “…complex of highly centralized enterprises set up for the purpose of engaging…
