Los Angeles County Criminal Lawyer Blog

Los Angeles County Sheriffs arrested a 19-year-old Santa Clarita Valley man on charges of sexually assaulting 14 girls between the ages of 12 and 16 years old. Law enforcement is currently investigating the case and believes there may be other victims, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Currently, the man faces 29 counts of sexual assault as is and is being held on $1.8 million bail while awaiting a court appearance on January 11 for continued arraignment. Investigation of the man began when a female minor reported being sexually assaulted by the man earlier in December, and as the Sheriff's Department's Special Victims Bureau looked into the matter, officials found an additional 13 female victims. Allegedly, the man would meet his victims at various social events, public places, and through Facebook, claiming to be 16-years-old and knowing other teenagers by being friends with them on Facebook.

Sexual assault crimes in California can cover a wide variety of criminal acts which are punishable under California law. According to California Penal Code Section 234.4 (a), "Any person who touches an intimate part of another person while that person is unlawfully restrained by the accused or an accomplice, and if the touching is against the will of the person touched and is for the purpose of sexual arousal, sexual gratification, or sexual abuse, is guilty of sexual battery."

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Celebrity sex scandals frequently make headlines across the country, sparking gossip and a rise in tabloid sales in supermarkets everywhere, but the underlying crimes can often be overlooked. Such is the case with the recent paternity lawsuit filed against 17-year-old pop singer Justin Bieber. The suit was filed against Bieber by a now 20-year-old fan who claims that the two had sex in California last October and that she is now pregnant as a result.

The timing of the alleged encounter would make Bieber 16 years old and the fan 19 years old, meaning that the fan could be guilty of statutory rape. Under California Penal Code Section 261.5, "Unlawful sexual intercourse is an act of sexual intercourse accomplished with a person who is not the spouse of the perpetrator, if the person is a minor. For the purposes of this section, a "minor" is a person under the age of 18 years and an "adult" is a person who is at least 18 years of age."

Under the same code section, since there was not more than a three year age difference between Bieber and the fan, she would be guilty of a misdemeanor if convicted of statutory rape. A misdemeanor is punishable by probation and/or county jail.

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A no contest plea was recently made by Shane Sparks of MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew" in regards to a single felony count of engaging in unlawful sex with a minor under the age of 16. The Los Angeles Times reports that the grounds of the plea deal permitted eight felony counts for alleged sex acts to be dismissed.

Photo Courtesy of Los Angeles Times

Sparks agreed to the no contest plea for the single felony. As a result of his plea, Sparks will be required to serve 270 days in jail within the county over the next year and will be given five years' probation. In addition, the hip-hop choreographer will have to attend 52 sex-offender counseling sessions and must not get close to any female minors unless an adult is in attendance. The arrest that started it all took place in December 2009 at Sparks' North Hollywood home. He was accused of committing multiple lewd acts upon a child beginning in 1994 and Los Angeles police have identified the victim as a girl who was under the age of 14 when the alleged acts started.

Based on California Penal Code 261.5 (a), it is considered unlawful for an adult to have sexual intercourse or a sexual relationship with an individual under the age of 18 since "the age of consent for lawful sexual relations" is 18. If an adult is found to have had sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 18, this may be prosecuted as statutory rape in California. Whether unlawful sex with a minor is a misdemeanor or felony is typically based on the age difference between the individuals involved.

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