Conway Sex Crime Defense Attorney

Accused of a sex crime in Conway, AR? Our skilled sex crime defense lawyers in Conway, Arkansas will fight to protect your rights, your reputation, and your future.

An accusation alone can cost you your job, your reputation, and time with your family long before a jury ever hears your side.

Detectives, Arkansas DHS investigators, and the 20th Judicial District prosecutor’s office often move quickly. What you say in the first few days can shape the entire case.

At Lemley DWI & Criminal Defense Lawyers, we defend people across Faulkner County who are under investigation or already charged with rape, sexual assault, child pornography, online solicitation, and related offenses.

Our Conway sex crime defense attorneys know how these cases get built and where they tend to fall apart, and we question every piece of the state’s evidence while treating you with respect and without judgment. We offer flat fees, payment plans, and secure virtual consultations.

Contact our law firm today for a free consultation.

Accused in Conway? Here’s What to Do Right Now

A sex crime accusation in Faulkner County can upend your life before a single charge is formally filed. Law enforcement, Arkansas DHS investigators, and the 20th Judicial District prosecutor’s office often act quickly, and the steps you take right away can influence how your case unfolds.

The four most important things to do right now:

• Call a lawyer before anything else: We answer 24/7 because investigations don’t follow business hours, and early involvement gives us the widest range of options to protect you.

• Stay silent: Arkansas DHS investigators and Faulkner County detectives are building a case against you, not with you. Politely refuse every interview until we are present.

• Don’t delete anything: Wiping texts, apps, or accounts can lead to a separate evidence tampering charge and destroy digital evidence that could work in your favor.

• Prepare for bond court: If you are arrested and booked at the Faulkner County Detention Center, the bond hearing is the first chance to push back against excessive bail, GPS monitoring, and sweeping no-contact orders.

Call Lemley DWI & Criminal Defense Lawyers to schedule a consultation with a lawyer today. Our Conway sex crime defense lawyers answer 24/7.

Why Hire Lemley Law?

Former Prosecutor and Detective on Your Side

Attorney Samantha Kassen is a former Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. Attorney Josh King spent years as a detective and worked alongside drug task forces. They know precisely how Conway-area prosecutors build sex crime cases, because they used to build them themselves, and that experience is now entirely in your corner.

Over 21 Years of Courtroom Results

Founding attorney Kevin Lemley has more than 21 years of courtroom experience and leads our trial team. Our case results include dismissals of charges ranging from drug trafficking and domestic battery to possession of a stolen firearm, and we bring that same tenacity to every sex crime case we take. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in yours.

Flat Fees, Payment Plans, and Real Availability

We charge flat fees so you know the full cost before you commit, no hourly billing that quietly compounds over time. Flexible payment plans, free confidential consultations, and three offices in Conway, Little Rock, and Cabot mean quality representation is within reach. Secure virtual consultations are also available for clients across Arkansas.

Sex Crime Charges We Defend in Conway

Our Conway team defends the full range of Arkansas sex crime allegations, from the first day of the investigation through trial. Charges we handle include:

• Rape (Ark. Code § 5-14-103) and sexual assault in all degrees
• Sexual indecency with a child
• Child pornography and internet-based sex crimes
• Online solicitation of a minor
• Indecent exposure
• Child sexual abuse
• Prostitution
• Sexual solicitation
• Failure to register as a sex offender

What Is Sexual Indecency with a Child in Arkansas?

Sexual indecency with a child is a Class D felony under Ark. Code § 5-14-110. It most often applies when a person 18 or older solicits a child under 15 for sexual activity, or exposes themselves to a child under 15 to arouse or gratify sexual desire.

To convict you, the prosecution must prove all three of these elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

• Age of the accused: The state must show you were 18 years of age or older at the time of the alleged conduct.

• Age of the alleged victim: The prosecution must establish that the alleged victim was under 15.

• Intent: The act must have been committed to arouse or gratify sexual desire. The state has to prove that intent, not simply assert it.

If the prosecution cannot prove every single element, the charge cannot stand.

What Are the Penalties for a Sex Crime Conviction in Arkansas?

Prison Sentences and Fines

Penalties depend on the specific charge and the circumstances surrounding it. Rape is a Class Y felony, the most serious classification in Arkansas, and can carry 10 to 40 years or life in prison. Sexual indecency with a child is punishable by up to six years and a $10,000 fine. Even misdemeanor-level sex offenses carry jail time, fines, and probation that can disrupt your life for years.

Sex Offender Registration

After a conviction, the Arkansas Sex Offender Assessment Committee assigns a risk level from 1 (low risk) to 4 (sexually dangerous person). That level shapes how widely the community is notified. Under Arkansas law, many people can ask the court to end registration after 15 years, but people convicted of an aggravated sex offense, or assessed as sexually dangerous, generally must register for life.

Consequences Beyond Prison

Being listed on Arkansas’s public sex offender registry can make it nearly impossible to find housing or employment, strip you of professional licenses, and seriously damage your child custody rights. These consequences follow you long after any prison sentence has ended.

What Evidence Do Prosecutors Use in Sex Crime Cases?

These cases are rarely built on a single piece of proof. Knowing what the state is likely to rely on, and where it falls short, is one of the first things our Conway criminal defense attorneys work through with you.

Forensic Interviews

In cases involving minors, much of the prosecution’s case often rests on a forensic interview, a recorded conversation conducted at a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC). These interviews must follow strict protocols designed to prevent leading questions, and when those standards are not met, we move to suppress the recording before trial.

Digital Evidence and IP Attribution

Online solicitation and child pornography charges typically hinge on tracing IP address data back to a specific device or account. We partner with independent digital forensic experts to challenge that attribution, especially in cases involving shared networks or misidentified devices.

One pattern we consistently see in Faulkner County internet sex crime cases is a search warrant served on a home with several people sharing the same Wi-Fi network. The IP address points to the household, not to a specific person. An independent forensic review of each device often shows that the state’s attribution is weaker than the arrest suggests.

SANE Exam Results

A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exam is a medical evaluation completed after an alleged assault. These findings are frequently inconclusive. The absence of physical injury does not prove nothing happened, but it also does not prove guilt, and we make that distinction clear to a jury.

Witness Credibility

Early accounts often contradict later testimony. We compare every statement made to law enforcement and investigators, looking for inconsistencies that undermine the credibility of the claims against you.

What we see in Conway cases involving college students at UCA, Hendrix, or Central Baptist College is that a campus Title IX process sometimes runs at the same time as the criminal case. Statements made in that campus process can end up in the prosecutor’s file. We advise clients on both before they say anything in either one.

Defense Strategies We Use in Faulkner County

Consent and Credibility

In adult cases where the central dispute is whether an encounter was consensual, we investigate the accuser’s credibility, prior statements, and any motivations behind the allegation.

Alibi and Mistaken Identity

We move quickly to gather cell phone location data, surveillance footage, and work records before they are lost or overwritten. When identity is genuinely at issue, physical and digital alibi evidence can determine the outcome at trial.

Constitutional Violations

If law enforcement conducted an illegal search or questioned you without advising you of your rights, the resulting evidence can be challenged and excluded. We file suppression motions early to limit what the state is permitted to use against you.

Pretrial Motions to Suppress Evidence

Our Conway sex crime defense lawyers go after the prosecution’s case before trial, not just during it. A successful suppression motion can strip away the state’s strongest arguments and sometimes force a dismissal before a single juror is ever seated.

What Is the Court Process in Faulkner County?

Your case moves through Faulkner County Circuit Court in Conway, part of the 20th Judicial Circuit, and we stand beside you at every stage. Here is what to expect:

• Arrest and bond hearing: After booking, a judge sets your release conditions. We argue for fair bail and push back against unnecessary restrictions from the start.

• Arraignment: You enter a formal plea, almost always “not guilty,” and future hearings are scheduled.

• Discovery and pretrial motions: The prosecution hands over its evidence. We review every item and file challenges where the law supports it.

• Plea negotiations or trial: We explore every path toward a favorable outcome, but the final decision on any offer always rests with you. If no offer serves your interests, we go to trial and fight for an acquittal.

No-Contact Orders and Your Children

Courts routinely issue no-contact orders the moment charges are filed, which can prevent you from returning home or having any contact with your own children. Arkansas DHS may simultaneously open a civil investigation and impose a “safety plan” controlling where you live and who may visit. We petition immediately to modify unreasonable conditions and coordinate with your family attorney when parental rights are also on the line.

What Outcomes Can We Pursue for You?

Every decision we make is focused on protecting your future. Depending on the facts of your case, we work toward:

• Dismissal or acquittal: No conviction, no registry placement, no record to follow you.

• Charge reduction without registration: A negotiated plea to a lesser offense that eliminates the registration requirement and significantly reduces the consequences.

• Alternative resolutions: In appropriate cases, we pursue treatment-centered outcomes in place of incarceration.

What Does a Defense Attorney For Sex Crime Charges in Conway Cost?

We charge flat fees quoted clearly after your free consultation, so you know the full cost before you make any commitment. There is no hourly clock running while your case works through the courts. Payment plans are available because a charge this serious should never go undefended due to financial circumstances. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Talk to Police or DHS Investigators Before Hiring a Lawyer?

No. Politely decline every request for an interview or statement until we are with you, because anything you say will be used by the prosecution to build their case against you.

Can You Help If I Am Under Investigation but Not Yet Charged?

Yes, and pre-charge representation is often the most valuable phase of the entire case. Getting involved early can sometimes allow us to present evidence that prevents a formal arrest from ever occurring.

Can I Avoid the Arkansas Sex Offender Registry After Being Charged?

The only paths to avoiding registration are a dismissal, an acquittal at trial, or a plea to a non-registerable offense, which is exactly what we work toward from the very beginning of your case.

What Happens to a No-Contact Order That Keeps Me Away from My Children?

We petition the court immediately to modify those conditions and work alongside your family law attorney when custody rights are also part of the fight.

How Quickly Can We Meet at the Conway Office?

We answer our phones 24/7 and can often arrange a same-day meeting, either at our Conway office or through a secure virtual consultation, whichever works best for you.