Dating apps seem to be the latest craze for people looking for anything from a random hookup to a meaningful relationship. For one 19-year-old boy, the hookup he participated in after meeting a girl through the app ‘Hot or Not’ had more ramifications than he could have ever imagined. He began talking to a girl who lived in a neighboring state and they decided to meet up. The two ended up having sex and as it turns out, she was only 14 years old. He was arrested and convicted of Sexual Assault on a Child. Even though the girl admitted that she lied about her age in court, it did not stop the judge from sentencing the 19-year-old to 90 days in jail, 5 years of Sex Offender Intensive Supervised Probation, and 25 years of registering as a sex offender in two states.
What is Sex Assault on a Child in Larimer County?
Sexual Assault on a Child – C.R.S. 18-3-405 – is defined by Colorado law as:
This definition changes if Position of Trust is alleged. The three main elements of Sex Assault on a Child are:
| Type of Sexual Contact | Victim’s Age | Accused’s Age |
| Any sexual contact | Less than 15 years old | At least 4 years older than the victim |
All 3 elements listed above MUST be present to charge this crime in Larimer, Boulder, and Grand County. So, considering the dating app hookup story, if the girl had been 15 at the time of the sexual contact, or the boy had been 18, this crime could never have been charged. When you think about it, a matter of months or even days could have made all the difference. Imagine a 14-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy are dating and decide to have sex. All is fine until the boy turns 19 and the girl is still 14. Then, it becomes a class 4 felony. So, yesterday, it was ok, but today it is criminal? Where is the logic in that?
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Anyone accused of this type of crime faces these life-altering penalties.
And where is the responsibility for this girl? She got on an app, arranged a meeting with someone from another state, and lied about her age. Yet, she is the victim and he is the predator? Something really isn’t fair about this situation. Now, the 19 year-old boy is facing all kinds of restrictions on his Sex Offender Intensive Supervision Probation (SOISP) including not being able to live at home. That’s right, he has to find a new residence because his younger sibling is 15 and he is not allowed to have contact with anyone under the age of 18. Anyone accused of this type of crime faces these life-altering penalties. It is vital you have an experienced criminal defense lawyer to protect you, your family, and your future when facing any Sex Crime charges in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park.