If you’ve been charged with rape in Oklahoma, you need an experienced defense attorney on your side. Our lawyers work tirelessly to protect your legal rights.
Rape is a serious criminal offense in Oklahoma, and strict laws have been implemented in the state to prevent this particular sex crime, and to hold offenders responsible for their actions. Whether your sex crime charges involve rape, date rape or statutory rape, the resulting consequences will likely be severe. If you have been charged with rape in Oklahoma, you need an experienced team of criminal defense lawyers to represent you in court. Contact our qualified defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today.
Rape Charges Oklahoma
Being convicted of rape in Oklahoma carries severe penalties, which may even include the death penalty in some cases. If you are involved in a rape investigation or have been charged with rape in Oklahoma, contact our criminal defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center immediately to begin building your defense.
Definition of Rape in Oklahoma
According to Oklahoma law, rape is an act of sexual intercourse involving vaginal or anal penetration accomplished with a male or female who is not the spouse of the offender and who may be of the same or opposite sex as the offender, under any of the following circumstances:
- The victim is under 16 years of age
- The victim is incapable through mental illness or any other unsoundness of mind of giving legal consent
- Force or violence is used or threatened
- The victim is intoxicated by a narcotic or anesthetic agent, administered by the accused as a means of forcing the victim to submit
- The victim is at the time unconscious of the nature of the act and this is known to the offender
- The victim submits to sexual intercourse under the belief that the person committing the act is a spouse, and this belief is induced by concealment on the part of the accused
- The victim is under the legal custody or supervision of a state agency, a county or a municipality and engages in sexual intercourse with a state, county or municipality employee
Penalties for a Rape Conviction in Oklahoma
A person accused a rape in Oklahoma can be charged with either first- or second-degree rape – charges that vary in severity and carry different corresponding penalties. A first-degree rape conviction carries a sentence of no less than five years in prison, and may include life in prison and even the death penalty in certain situations. A second-degree rape conviction, on the other hand, carries a penalty of one to fifteen years in prison. Date rape is also considered a rape charge, but involves both parties knowing each other prior to the uninvited sexual intercourse. Any sexual intercourse with a child is considered rape, and in most states, sexual relations even with consent involving a 14- to 18-year-old is considered statutory rape, on the basis that the victim is legally unable to give consent.
Contact a Skilled Criminal Defense Attorney Today
Rape is an extremely serious offense, and is punished accordingly in Oklahoma. If you are facing rape charges in Oklahoma, your first course of action should be to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to review your case. The potential success of your rape case depends on the skill of your attorney. The knowledgeable defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center are experienced in handling rape cases in Oklahoma, and may be able to help you get your charges reduced or possibly even dropped altogether.