Michigan Sex Crimes Lawyer

A call from a detective in Lansing asking about an accusation, a search warrant at your home, or news that police want to interview you can make it feel like you have already been judged. Sex-crime allegations can reach your job, family, and reputation long before anything is proven in court.

A Michigan sex crimes attorney can explain exactly what you are accused of, what the prosecution must prove, what evidence needs to be preserved, and which decisions should wait until you know more.

Coontz Law defends people accused of these offenses throughout Michigan. We take the allegation seriously without treating it as your whole story.

A Sex-Crime Charge Is Defined by More Than the Allegation

Michigan’s primary sexual-assault charges are called criminal sexual conduct, or CSC, and are divided into four degrees. The degree depends on whether the case involves sexual penetration or contact and on facts such as age, force or coercion, injury, incapacity, a weapon, or a position of authority.

Michigan law defines sexual penetration broadly. It includes sexual intercourse and even slight intrusion of a body part or object into another person’s genital or anal opening.

Sexual contact generally involves intentional touching of specified intimate areas, or the clothing covering them, when the touching can reasonably be viewed as sexual or is done for a sexual purpose, revenge, humiliation, or anger.

These definitions matter because they can become elements- the facts the prosecution must prove- and every element must be established beyond a reasonable doubt, the level of proof required for a criminal conviction.

Penetration and Contact Put Michigan CSC Charges on Different Tracks

The four CSC degrees may sound similar, but their elements and maximum penalties are very different. An aggravating circumstance is an additional fact, such as age, injury, use of a weapon, or a qualifying relationship, that can elevate the seriousness of the charge.

• First-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC-I). Generally requires sexual penetration plus a listed aggravating circumstance. Examples include an alleged victim under 13, cases involving force or coercion and personal injury, use of a weapon, commission of another felony, or particular authority or incapacity situations. CSC-I is punishable by life imprisonment or any term of years.
• Second-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC-II). Involves sexual contact rather than penetration, plus one of the circumstances listed in the statute. It is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
• Third-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC-III). Involves sexual penetration under circumstances such as an alleged victim who is 13 to 15, force or coercion, or an alleged victim who is mentally incapable, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless when the accused knew or had reason to know of that condition. It carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
• Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC-IV). Involves sexual contact under specified circumstances. The statute classifies it as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $500.

These are the highest penalties allowed by law, not automatic sentences. Prior convictions, multiple charges, sentencing guidelines, and the specific law used can change what you face.

Michigan Sex-Crime Charges Go Beyond the Four CSC Degrees

Assault with intent to commit CSC involving penetration is a felony punishable by up to 10 years. Assault with intent to commit second-degree CSC carries up to five years. These charges focus on assault plus the required intent, even when the alleged sexual conduct was not completed.

Michigan also criminalizes producing, distributing, possessing, or knowingly seeking and accessing child sexually abusive material, the statutory term for material often called child pornography. Possession generally carries a term of up to 4 years, or up to 10 years when specified aggravating features apply.

Distribution or promotion generally carries a sentence of up to 7 years, or 15 years in an aggravated case. Production generally carries a term of up to 20 years, or 25 years when the statutory aggravating features apply.

In digital cases, who had access to a device, who owned the account, and who had access to downloads, cloud storage, search history, and file details can be important. Sharing a phone, computer, or account does not by itself answer who knowingly possessed or accessed particular material.

In a possession case, the prosecution must show knowing possession or the power and intention to exercise control over the material. An access theory focuses on whether the person intentionally sought out the material to view it or cause it to be transmitted.

The Sentence Is Not the Only Consequence That Needs Attention

A sex-crime conviction can have consequences beyond jail or prison. Depending on the case, Michigan’s Sex Offenders Registration Act may require registration. CSC-I and some CSC-II convictions can also mean lifetime electronic monitoring.

Repeat-offender rules matter too. A second or subsequent conviction for CSC-I, CSC-II, or CSC-III carries a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years when the statutory requirements are met.

This is why you should not judge a plea offer only by the jail or prison time listed. A Michigan sex crimes lawyer should also consider registration, monitoring, probation, job, housing, professional license, and other effects before you make a choice that will affect the rest of your life.

The Defense Has to Fit the Exact Theory the Prosecutor Is Using

There is no single “sex-crime defense.” The defense depends on what the prosecution says happened and which element is actually disputed.

In one case, the central question may be whether the alleged act occurred at all. In another, it may be identity, consent, whether conduct legally qualifies as penetration or sexual contact, or whether the facts satisfy the aggravating circumstance needed for the charged degree.

Consent can matter in some cases, particularly when force or coercion is disputed, but it is not a legal defense to every CSC theory. Age, incapacity, certain authority relationships, and other statutory circumstances can make consent legally irrelevant.

The evidence must be carefully checked. This can include comparing interviews with texts, messages, photos, location history, medical records, laboratory findings, witness statements, and digital records.

A Michigan sex crimes attorney can challenge evidence obtained through an unlawful search or interrogation and ask the court to exclude it when the law supports that request. The point is not to use every possible argument but to find the ones that fit the evidence.

Do Not Try to Fix the Case Through Another Conversation

It is natural to want to explain your side. But in a sex-crime investigation, doing so can give police new evidence they did not have before. If you learn police want to speak with you, or that an allegation has been made, some practical steps can protect your options:

• Do not give an investigative statement before speaking with a lawyer;
• Do not contact the person making the allegation to argue, apologize, persuade, or “clear things up,” especially if a no-contact order, a court order prohibiting communication, is in place;
• Preserve texts, direct messages, photos, videos, receipts, location information, and account data without deleting, editing, or resetting anything;
• Keep search warrants, bond paperwork, police cards, court notices, and anything else law enforcement gives you; and
• Follow every court-ordered release condition and other court order, even if you disagree with it.

Then share the timeline and any evidence with your lawyer while the details are still clear. What you save now could be important later.

Coontz Law Defends the Person Who Has to Live With the Result

A sex-crime accusation can quickly become a label. At Coontz Law, we do not focus on that label. We begin by listening to your full story, determining what the prosecution can really prove, and giving you honest advice about what should be challenged.

We do not choose the easiest solution just because it is simple for us. We build our strategy around your life and goals, whether that means challenging evidence, filing and arguing a motion when the law supports it, negotiating fair terms, or getting ready for trial.

Our office is in Lansing, and we handle criminal defense cases throughout Michigan. We use technology to reduce unnecessary paperwork, communicate regularly, limit our caseload so each case gets focused attention, and use clear, upfront fees with no surprises.

The stakes are real. So is the person behind the allegation. You deserve to know where the case is strong, where it is weak, and why the next decision makes sense.

Know What the Case Is Built On Before You Decide What Comes Next

If you are being investigated, charged with CSC, or facing another sex-related accusation, do not wait for another police interview or a plea offer to learn what the case is built on.

Contact Coontz Law to schedule a consultation. We will review where things stand, identify what requires attention first, and build the strategy around the evidence, your goals, and the life affected by the result.

Overcome. With Coontz Law.

Michigan Sex Crimes FAQs

1. Can Michigan Convict Someone of CSC Without DNA or Other Physical Evidence?

Yes. Michigan law does not require the alleged victim’s testimony to be corroborated, meaning supported by separate evidence, before a CSC conviction is legally possible. The prosecution still has to prove every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

2. Does the Person Making the Allegation Have to Resist Physically?

No. Michigan law expressly states that an alleged victim does not have to resist for prosecutors to pursue CSC-I through assault with intent to commit CSC. Whether force, coercion, consent, or another element must be proved depends on the particular charge.

3. Can Someone Be Charged With Criminal Sexual Conduct Against a Spouse?

Yes. Being legally married does not prevent a person from being charged or convicted of CSC in Michigan. However, the statute provides that a charge or conviction cannot rest solely on the fact that a legal spouse is mentally incapable. The specific CSC theory and facts still control.

Legal References Used to Inform This Page:

To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:

• MCL § 750.520a. Criminal Sexual Conduct Definitions.
• MCL § 750.520g. Assault With Intent to Commit Criminal Sexual Conduct.
• MCL § 750.520f. Second or Subsequent Criminal Sexual Conduct Offense.
• MCL § 750.520b. Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree.
• MCL § 750.520c. Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree.
• MCL § 750.520d. Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Degree.
• MCL § 750.520e. Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Fourth Degree.
• MCL § 750.145c. Child Sexually Abusive Activity or Material.
• MCL § 28.722. Michigan Sex Offenders Registration Act, Definitions.
• MCL § 750.520h. Corroboration of Victim Testimony Not Required.
• MCL § 750.520i. Resistance by Victim Not Required.
• MCL § 750.520l. Legal Spouse as Victim.