Man Held on Child Rape Charges

A man from Guatemala was caught trying to sneak back into the country by border authorities, who soon discovered that he had a child rape accusation against him in Kennewick, according to recent reports. An unidentified girl who was said to be of elementary school age reported that she was raped by a male relative. Her mother called police after the girl disclosed the crime to her.

The mother then received a phone call from Elio David Carcamo-Lopez, 34, saying he was being held at the Arizona border after trying to re-enter the country. He remains in the custody of the Tuscon police pending an investigation of the crime.

Child Sex Crimes: Serious Penalties

In Arizona, there are three types of crimes that can be charged against a person who has sex with a minor: sexual abuse, molestation of a child and sexual conduct with a minor. However, these crimes are usually reserved for situations in which there is no use of force. When force is used, the crime may be charged as rape and carries much more severe penalties.

Rape is a felony and can result in years in prison. When it is combined with other violent crimes such as assault or robbery, the sentence can be even longer. Ultimately, a rape charge means the longest possible prison sentence of any type of sexual crime.

Emotions Run High

When anyone is charged with a crime that involves sexual misconduct with a child, emotions are bound to run high. While it is true that most children do not erroneously report sexual abuse, there have also been cases in which children have been coached to accuse someone of this heinous crime. Child sexual abuse cases cause such extreme emotional reactions that prosecutors and judges must be careful to ascertain all the facts before making an arrest or a charge, as even the accusation of such a crime can taint someone for the rest of his or her life.

Unfortunately, prosecutors and police are not always as careful as they should be in getting the facts about an accusation of sexual abuse. Therefore, a criminal defense attorney’s job is to protect the rights of the accused. It is important for those accused of these terrible crimes to have representation, and Alex Lane in Phoenix is ready to help. Contact him today for more information on how to protect your rights if you have been accused of a crime.