Q: Ive been charged with statutory rape in alabama im 19 with a clean record am i elligible for youthful offender status.
I was dating the girl for 6 months. her mother knew we were having sex and consented her father found out and pressed charges so that he could try to get me to pay him off. i was 18 and she was 13
A:
Due to your age, you are eligible to apply for youthful offender status in Alabama. You will need to fill out a form that is filed with the court at your arraignment on the charges, and the judge will order the probation office to conduct a background investigation on you. You will need to schedule an appointment with them and meet with the probation officer so that they can get information about you and so that they can make a recommendation to the court. After the background investigation, the trial court will conduct a hearing on whether or not to grant youthful offender status to you. At that time, you need to present information to show the court that you are the type of defendant who should be given this opportunity. Ways you can do this include submitting letters of recommendation, bringing character witnesses to court, providing evidence that you are in school and/or employed, and other evidence to show that you are a good person.
Make sure to get an experienced criminal defense lawyer working on your behalf as soon as possible. The consequences of a conviction for a sex crime in Alabama can be severe, and could be with you for the rest of your life. Choose an attorney carefully.
If our office can be of assistance, please feel free to give us a call.
Bill Pfeifer
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