Sex Crimes

A Focused Defense From A Tampa Sex Crimes Lawyer

If you are under investigation or charged with a sex offense in the Tampa Bay area, you need clear direction and a fast response. At The Mayberry Law Firm, we defend people facing accusations that can damage freedom, family, and reputation in a single day. A Tampa sex crimes lawyer from our team moves quickly to protect your rights, control contact with law enforcement, and secure evidence that can change the outcome.

Before You Speak To Police

Most sex crime cases begin with a phone call from a detective, a request for a “quick interview,” or a knock at the door with a consent-to-search form. You are not required to explain yourself or hand over devices without a warrant. Detectives may suggest that talking will “clear things up” or prevent registration. That is not how these cases work. Tell officers you will not answer questions without counsel and contact The Mayberry Law Firm immediately. Early legal help stops damaging statements and prevents avoidable searches.

How Sex Crime Investigations Actually Work

Investigations are built from digital footprints, statements, and forensics. Detectives pull phone records, chat logs, and IP data. They collect screenshots and social media messages. They request medical exams and lab reports. In many cases, the real fight is about what the evidence means, whether it is authentic, and whether it was obtained lawfully. We preserve devices, audit warrants, and retain independent experts to verify timelines, file origins, and metadata. When the government’s narrative relies on assumptions, we expose them.

Digital Evidence, Warrants, And Your Devices

Searches of phones and computers require meticulous review. We examine the language of each warrant, the scope of what officers were allowed to seize, and how data was handled. Chain-of-custody gaps, overbroad warrants, and improper forensic methods can lead to suppression. For online sting operations, we analyze whether officers initiated sexual content, pushed conversations in an unlawful direction, or edited transcripts selectively. If the foundation is weak, the case is weak.

Defenses That Fit The Facts

There is no single defense that fits every case. We match strategy to proof and law.

• Consent in adult cases when the facts support it under Florida law
• Identity challenges where usernames, shared Wi-Fi, or IP addresses are unreliable
• Entrapment in undercover operations that manufacture a crime that would not have occurred
• Lack of intent where messages are ambiguous or taken out of context
• Fabrication or exaggeration tied to custody disputes, jealousy, or leverage
• Insufficient proof where the state’s case relies on uncorroborated claims

Protecting Your Privacy And Reputation

Sex crime allegations bring stigma. We take steps to reduce exposure and protect employment, schooling, and family relationships. That may include asking the court for protective orders, limiting unnecessary release of discovery, and coordinating carefully with any parallel family court issues. We also advise on communications and social media to keep the situation from getting worse.

What A Conviction Could Mean

Penalties for sex offenses in Florida can include long prison terms, strict probation, and lifetime consequences. Many convictions require registration as a sex offender under section 943.0435 or designation as a sexual predator under section 775.21. Registration affects housing, employment, and travel, and it requires ongoing reporting of addresses and contact information. Understanding this landscape early helps guide decisions about motions, negotiations, and trial.

How We Work Your Case From Day One

Speed and detail make the difference. We interview witnesses while memories are fresh, request preservation of surveillance and phone records, and secure medical or counseling records when they help your defense. We depose critical witnesses, cross-check statements against digital timelines, and use investigators to map out prior incidents, credibility issues, and motives to lie. When a motion to suppress or exclude evidence is viable, we file it and push for a hearing before trial.

Common Sex Offenses We Defend

• Sexual Battery
• Lewd and Lascivious Conduct
• Solicitation of a Minor
• Child Pornography
• Video Voyeurism
• Traveling to Meet a Minor
• Prostitution
• Solicitation of Prostitution
• Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

Pre-Charge Representation Matters

Many clients contact us before charges are filed. Pre-charge work can shift how a case is framed. We manage communications with detectives, correct factual errors, and present verified information that the state would not otherwise see. In appropriate cases, we negotiate for limited proffers with written protections. When the government understands that its evidence will be challenged, filing decisions and charge selections can change.

What You Should Do Right Now

Do not message about the case, do not try to explain yourself to the accuser, and do not delete files, factory-reset devices, or alter accounts. Gather names of potential witnesses, preserve messages exactly as they appear, and write down a simple timeline. Small details that seem unimportant today are often what win suppression motions and trials months from now.

Why Choose The Mayberry Law Firm

You want a sex crime defense attorney who knows the law, understands digital forensics, and communicates clearly. Our approach is practical and aggressive. We focus on the stop points where cases turn: the warrant, the interview, the device analysis, and the credibility of the state’s witnesses. We prepare cases as if they will be tried. That readiness improves negotiations and produces better outcomes when trial is the right choice.

Talk To A Tampa Sex Crimes Lawyer

If you are being investigated or have been charged in Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, or anywhere in Hillsborough County, call The Mayberry Law Firm at (813) 444-7435 or send us a message to schedule a confidential consultation. You will get a straightforward plan, protection from risky interviews, and a defense that targets the evidence the state actually has.