Los Angeles Child Molestation Lawyer

Facing a Section 647.6 Investigation? Get 75+ Years of Combined Experience.

A child molestation allegation can change your life overnight. Even before charges are formally filed, accusations alone can damage your reputation, career, relationships, and future opportunities. An investigation may involve witness interviews, digital communications, device evidence, surveillance, and requests for a police interview.

If investigators contact you, you can decline substantive questioning and request counsel before answering questions. Early representation can help preserve relevant evidence, identify procedural issues, and reduce the risk that your statements will later be used against you.

At Stephen G. Rodriguez & Partners, criminal defense is our sole focus. Our legal team brings more than 75 years of combined criminal law experience to cases involving serious felony and sex crime allegations. We examine what the prosecution can prove through admissible evidence rather than relying on assumptions about the accusation.

To get started on your defense, contact our firm today at (213) 481-6811.

Annoying or Molesting a Minor under California Law

Penal Code section 647.6 addresses conduct directed toward a child under 18 that is motivated by an unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in the child. Contrary to what many people believe, physical contact is not required for a person to be charged under this law.

Under CALCRIM No. 1122, the prosecution generally must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that:

• The defendant engaged in conduct directed at a child.
• A normal person, without hesitation, would have been disturbed, irritated, offended, or injured by the conduct.
• The conduct was motivated by an unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in the child.
• The child was under 18 when the alleged conduct occurred.

Evidence may include text messages, emails, social media conversations, recorded calls, witness accounts, surveillance footage, and statements made during police interviews. The analysis must consider the full context, including what was said, who participated, how the evidence was obtained, and whether it reliably identifies the accused.

A good-faith and reasonable belief that the person was at least 18 may be a defense under the applicable jury instruction. Other issues may include whether the conduct was actually directed at the child and whether the prosecution can establish the required sexual motivation.

Penal Code Section 647.6 vs. Penal Code Section 288

Penal Code section 647.6 and Penal Code section 288 aren’t interchangeable. Section 647.6 concerns sexually motivated conduct directed at a person under 18 and doesn’t require physical touching. Penal Code section 288 addresses different alleged conduct, applies different age-related elements, and can carry substantially different consequences.

A charge under section 288 isn’t an automatic escalation of every section 647.6 allegation. The actual statute and subsection listed in the complaint must be reviewed before anyone can accurately assess the elements, possible sentence, or registration consequences.

Common Examples of Annoying or Molesting a Minor

The facts of every case are different, but allegations commonly involve:

• Sending inappropriate text messages to a minor
• Soliciting sexually suggestive conversations online
• Making sexually explicit comments toward a child
• Repeatedly attempting to contact a minor despite objections
• Following or stalking a child
• Exposing a child to sexual material
• Asking a child inappropriate sexual questions
• Attempting to arrange meetings with a minor for improper purposes
• Communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a minor

Not every interaction involving a child constitutes a crime. Context, intent, and evidence are critical factors in determining whether criminal liability exists. Age information available to the accused, the identity of the participants, and the completeness of the communications may all affect the legal analysis.

Potential Penalties for a Penal Code Section 647.6 Conviction

The consequences depend on the charged subsection, prior convictions, related charges, and final case disposition. Penal Code section 647.6 may carry misdemeanor consequences, while certain circumstances or separately charged offenses can create different penalties. Our child molestation attorneys review the charging document and record before advising you about potential consequences.

Depending on the applicable law and case outcome, consequences may include:

• Custody in county jail or state prison.
• Fines and probation conditions.
• Court-ordered counseling or treatment.
• Restrictions on contact with particular people.
• Sex offender registration when required by the offense and disposition.

Sex Offender Registration

Registration isn’t automatically lifetime for every allegation or conviction discussed on this page. Whether registration applies, and for how long, requires an analysis of the specific statute, conviction, prior record, and current California law.

Where the applicable offense and law require it, consequences can include Mandatory lifetime registration as a sex offender. That phrase doesn’t describe every Penal Code section 647.6 case, and it shouldn’t be assumed without reviewing the actual charge and disposition.

Defenses to Child Molestation Allegations

Every case must be evaluated individually, but several defense issues may apply depending on the facts:

• Lack of Sexual Motivation: The prosecution must prove that the conduct was motivated by an unnatural or abnormal sexual interest in the child. Conduct that appears awkward, offensive, or inappropriate doesn’t satisfy this element by itself.
• Reasonable Belief About Age: A good-faith and reasonable belief that the person was at least 18 may be a defense under the applicable jury instruction.
• Unreliable Allegations: Accounts may contain inconsistencies, mistaken assumptions, or identification problems. Witness credibility and available corroboration must be examined carefully.
• Digital Evidence Issues: Messages and online records should be reviewed for completeness, context, timing, authentication, and reliable identification of the participants.
• Mistaken Identity: Shared devices, account access, copied messages, and online interactions can create disputes about who sent a communication.
• Insufficient Evidence: The prosecution bears the burden of proving every required element beyond a reasonable doubt. Suspicion alone isn’t enough to establish criminal liability.
• Constitutional Violations: Evidence obtained through an unlawful search, seizure, or custodial interrogation may raise constitutional suppression issues. Suppression means asking the court to exclude evidence obtained in violation of protected rights.

Stephen G. Rodriguez has more than 20 years of criminal defense experience and has always represented individuals rather than prosecuting for the government.

Our evidence-driven approach asks what the prosecution can establish with admissible evidence. We review communications, witness accounts, police procedures, and the alleged sexual motivation rather than accepting the government’s interpretation at face value.

Penal Code Section 647.6 FAQs

Does a Section 647.6 Charge Require Physical Contact?

No. The alleged conduct may involve statements, messages, gestures, or other conduct directed at a child without physical touching.

Can Online Communications Lead to an Investigation?

Yes. Text messages, emails, social media conversations, and other digital records may become evidence, but their context, completeness, authentication, and participants must be examined.

Should I Answer Questions During a Police Interview?

You can decline substantive questioning and request an attorney before discussing the allegations with investigators.

Will a Conviction Require Sex Offender Registration?

Registration depends on the specific offense, conviction, prior record, disposition, and applicable California law. It shouldn’t be assumed in every Section 647.6 case.

Can Charges Be Reduced or Dismissed?

Dismissal may be possible in some cases, but no outcome can be assumed. A case may end through dismissal, reduction, a negotiated plea, trial, or another disposition depending on the evidence, legal defenses, and procedural issues.

When Should I Contact a Child Molestation Lawyer?

Contact counsel as soon as you learn of an investigation, arrest, or charge, preferably before answering questions or providing access to devices or accounts.

Evidence-Driven Defense for Serious Allegations

We focus exclusively on criminal defense and represent clients in California state and federal courts. Stephen G. Rodriguez has completed training through the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and the Trial Advocacy Program through the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

We prepare cases for trial while evaluating whether negotiation or another resolution is appropriate. Clients receive direct, candid guidance about the evidence, legal risks, available options, and possible outcomes without unrealistic guarantees.

Our published case results include dismissed felony charges, a not-guilty trial result, and an investigation involving sex crime allegations that ended without a criminal case being filed. Prior outcomes don’t guarantee a particular result, but they reflect experience evaluating serious accusations at different stages of the criminal process.

Discuss the Investigation Before You Answer Questions

If you’re under investigation, have been arrested, or face a charge involving annoying or molesting a child, a free initial consultation can clarify the statute involved, immediate communication risks, evidence concerns, and the next procedural step. We represent clients throughout Los Angeles County and Southern California.

Our Los Angeles child molestation lawyers provide direct communication and candid guidance about your available options. Contact counsel as soon as you learn about an investigation, arrest, or charge.

Call us at (213) 481-6811 for a confidential, free consultation about your investigation, arrest, or charge.