In any Downingtown sex case, it is important that your rights are protected  Mr. Hyde makes certain that all evidence was properly gathered by the Commonwealth and has been turned over to the defense to prepare for trial.  Importantly, Mr. Hyde takes the time to understand your point of view, your side of the story, so that your defense makes sense and represents you the person, not you the monster they are accusing you of being.

Ryan Hyde will fight for you

Mr. Hyde, a former Deputy District Attorney, and now fighting for the rights of people charged with these crimes, has overseen the investigation, prosecution and defense of numerous sex crimes.  His understanding of how investigations are done will help you understand when/where mistakes were made and how to best attack the Commonwealth’s case.

Our cases have involved:

• Megan’s Law offenses and Megan’s Law registration
• Rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
• Child pornography cases and Internet solicitation of minors
• Indecent exposure
• Indecent assault and statutory sexual assault
• Child molestation, abuse and exploitation
• Prostitution

Seeking Treatment for Those Who Need It

There are times when people make mistakes, even in sex cases, whether because of intoxication or misunderstanding.  In those circumstances the mistake will not exonerate you.  In those cases that are likely to result in a conviction, we often seek treatment for a client with a substance or sexual addiction problem that may have resulted in the charge.

Putting your life back together after a charge such as this often seems an insurmountable task.  We help clients put their lives back together by getting them the help they need.  Helping to find recognized and trusted sex therapists who can not only improve a client’s life, it can also demonstrate to the court that the accused has addressed his or her problems and is less in need of the court’s punishment or supervision is an essential service that we can provide.

Avoiding Sex Offender Registration

Megan’s law has changed over the years, often times being a worse punishment than even jail.  Inclusion on the registry makes finding jobs difficult and can even impact where you are allowed to live.  A keen understanding of the true ramifications of either a plea or a finding of guilt is essential to making informed decisions.

The Tier System as of December 20, 2012 subjects individuals to registration in one of three Tiers based on their underlying offenses.

Tier I. Registration is for 15 years. In-person appearance at an approved registration site to provide or verify the required information and to be photographed is Annual. There is a mandatory minimum two year prison sentence for the first failure to report and a three year prison sentence for the first failure to provide accurate information.

Tier II. Registration is for 25 years. In-person appearance at an approved registration site to provide or verify the required information and to be photographed is Semiannual (every six months). There is a mandatory minimum three year prison sentence for the first failure to report and a five year prison sentence for the first failure to provide accurate information.

Tier III. Registration is for the Lifetime of the individual. In-person appearance at an approved registration site to provide or verify the required information and to be photographed is Quarterly (every three months). There is a mandatory minimum three year prison sentence for the first failure to report and a five year prison sentence for the first failure to provide accurate information.

Sexually Violent Predator

In the worst of cases the Commonwealth will seek to have you classified as a sexually violent predator.  In addition to notifying all of your neighbors of your presence in a community all Tier III requirements and penalties apply. Additionally, they must attend at least monthly counseling sessions by a provider approved by the Pennsylvania Sexual Offender Assessment Board. Failure to attend these counseling sessions is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

You can fight this classification, but it is a highly technical argument that often relies on using experts to attack the Commonwealth’s case.  Again, the stakes are high, you need an experienced Chester County Defense attorney fighting to protect your rights.  They have attorney’s and experts on their side, you need someone on your side fighting to protect you.