Michael E. Flores, a 28-year-old Saginaw man, was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl who was under the age of 13 in August of last year. Flores was initially charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and now one count of second-degree CSC has been added.
In July, a not guilty plea was entered by Saginaw County District Judge M.T. Thompson on Flores’ behalf. He was ordered held in custody on a $150,000 bond. At his preliminary hearing on August 1, a judge ruled that prosecutors in the case demonstrated probable cause to take Flores to trial in Circuit Court.
If Flores goes to trial and is found guilty, he will spend a minimum of 25 years in prison. In Michigan, first-degree criminal sexual conduct carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; however, when the victim is younger than 13 years of age at the time of the assault, the minimum sentence is 25 years. This means that if Flores is found guilty, he will likely be in his mid 50’s before he has any chance of being released from prison – but he could be sentenced to life.
The problem with sex cases involving young children is that in many situations, children are coerced or “coached” by others to say things or make up stories that are not true. In these types of cases, strong and convincing evidence is usually required to obtain a guilty verdict. If the evidence is solid against Flores, his defense attorney may advise that the outcome may be brighter if he were to plead guilty or no contest to a lesser offense. There are various legal options when an individual is accused of any crime; being charged does not necessarily mean an individual will go to trial.
A skilled and experienced sex crimes attorney will closely review the client’s case to help him or her determine the best legal strategy in order to minimize the damage. A defense lawyer’s first priority is to have charges dropped if possible, otherwise obtain the best possible results. If you have been arrested for sexual assault, Internet sex crimes, or any similar offense, contact an aggressive lawyer immediately.