What Will the Police Say When They Call if I’m Facing Sex or Other Criminal Charges in Minnesota?

Many sex crime allegations in Minnesota (or any criminal charges) feel like they come out of nowhere. They simply make no sense. You may recall interacting with somebody and there was nothing in it that was wrong or unwanted. So, it can be dizzying, even impossible. The next thing that can happen, and it can happen, is a call from the local police department.  You get that call  that goes something like this:

“We just received a report about an issue. We would like to set up a time for you to come down to the station.  We just are trying to understand want want to get your side of the story.”

This is almost a transcript of the phone call that countless numbers of clients have repeated in our offices. Of course, if this simply makes no sense and you know that this just didn’t happen and you did nothing wrong, what is your first response?  Simple, you take that phone call.  You call the police back.  “Heck yes, I want to come in and tell you my side of the story. I want to tell you exactly what happened.” It makes sense. You have nothing to hide. Right?

Here is one free piece of advice (although don’t take this article as advice).  Nevertheless, write this down and read it over and over and over again.  Do not pick up that call.  Do not call them back. They are not here to get your side of the story.  They are building a case to prosecute. If the police want to talk to you, call an experienced Minnesota Sex Crimes lawyer immediately.

If Convicted, What Might be Coming at You?

The purpose of this article is not to scare you. Rather, we see it this way, knowledge os power. Remember this:

If you are convicted of a sex crime in Minnesota, you may have no notion of what is coming at you. We are even excluding all of the personal ramifications of being a registered sex offender and a felony like jobs, a career, employment, getting a place to live and even the impact on every personal relationship in your life.  There are five areas that will create a level of oversight upon you like you have never ever seen before.  These include:

• Being a convicted Felon;

• Jail or Prison;

• Fines up to the tens of thousands;

• Probation Oversight like you have never seen;

• Minnesota’s Predatory Offender Registry.

Each of these could create an intrusion in your life that nothing close to anything you have ever seen.  Probation will become a major major part of your life. Here is one example you may have never heard of before but it can absolutely happen right here in Minnesota. Its called penile plethysmography.

“Its called a penile plethysmography and they use it right here in Minnesota.”

Penile plethysmography (PPG) or phallometry is measurement of bloodflow to the penis, typically used to measurement of sexual arousal. This is frequently used with sexual offenders to determine the level of sexual arousal as the subject is exposed to sexually suggestive content like pictures, movies and audio.

Here is another. The Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry.  With most if not all sex crimes in Minnesota, you will be required to Register for between 10 years and a lifetime.  This is what you will be required to provide:

• primary address;

• secondary addresses in Minnesota, including all addresses used for residential or recreational purposes;

• addresses of all Minnesota property owned, leased, or rented by the person;

• addresses of all locations where the person is employed;

• addresses of all schools where the person is enrolled;

• year, model, make, license plate number, and color of all motor vehicles owned or regularly driven by the person;

• expiration year for the motor vehicle license plate tabs of all motor vehicles owned by the person; and

• telephone numbers including work, school, and home and any cellular telephone service.

Charged with a sex crime in Minnesota is never something to take likely. Further, don’t just think that you don’t have to worry because You know you didn’t do anything. This is so much bigger than that. Contact an experienced Sex Crimes lawyer here in Minnesota immediately.

Jack Rice is the Founder of Jack Rice Defense, a boutique criminal defense firm based in St. Paul, MN. Jack is a former CIA Officer, a former prosecutor and a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist. Contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339.