The word “sodomy” carries a lot of historical baggage, and that leads to one of the most common misunderstandings in California criminal law: the belief that the act itself is illegal. It is not. Consensual private conduct between adults is fully legal in California — Penal Code § 286 criminalizes sodomy only in specific, unlawful…
Stalking under California Penal Code § 646.9 is the crime of repeatedly following or harassing another person while making a credible threat that places them in reasonable fear for their safety or their family’s safety. It is one of the most fact-specific charges in California law — and one of the most commonly misunderstood, because…
California Penal Code § 289(j) is the aggravated subsection of the sexual penetration statute — penetration of a child under 14, by a defendant more than ten years older, accomplished by force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of bodily injury. It is one of the most serious offenses in the California Penal Code. The base…
If you have been charged with a sex offense in Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Winchester, Canyon Lake, French Valley, or anywhere in Southwest Riverside County, the decisions you make in the next 48 hours will shape the rest of your life. The Law Office of Nic Cocis defends people accused of sex crimes…
If you’ve been arrested for solicitation, agreeing to engage in prostitution, or engaging in prostitution in Riverside County, the first question most people have isn’t about jail time or fines. It’s about whether they’re going to have to register as a sex offender. As a Murrieta solicitation attorney for over 25 years, Nic Cocis has…
If you’ve been charged with sexual battery in Riverside County, two things matter most from the start. First, the same conduct can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony — and that single charging decision controls whether you face up to 1 year county jail or up to 4 years state prison. Second,…
If you were arrested in a prostitution sting last night — or your spouse, partner, or family member just called you from the Southwest Justice Center holding area — the next 72 hours will shape this case. Call (951) 400-4357 as soon as you can. Nic Cocis has defended these arrests in Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee,…
An indecent exposure charge under California Penal Code § 314 is a misdemeanor in most first-offense cases — but it is a misdemeanor that carries one of the most serious collateral consequences in California criminal law: mandatory sex offender registration. Unlike many misdemeanors, a PC § 314 conviction is not something a person can quietly…
If you or someone you love is facing a sex-crime charge in Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee or anywhere in Southwest Riverside County that comes with an aggravating allegation — a prior conviction, a kidnapping claim, a weapon, or a child victim — the case may fall under California’s One Strike law, and that one fact can…
If you or someone you love has been accused of sexual battery or rape in Southwest Riverside County, the first thing worth understanding is that these are two separate crimes under California law — not two words for the same thing. They carry different elements, very different penalties, and different lifelong consequences, and the line…
Recently, Governor Jerry Brown signed a new bill into law that will change some of the penalties that juvenile offenders (i.e. those under the age of 18) might receive for certain sex crimes. Known as “Audrie’s Law,” this bill had been written in response to a case involving the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl….
Recently in Murrieta, a man allegedly shot and killed his wife in their home. According to local news reports, he then transported her body to an off-site storage locker, returned to the home and set it on fire. Once the house was on fire, he called 911 and said his wife was trapped inside. When…
If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges in Southwest Riverside County, time is critical. Contact the Law Office of Nic Cocis today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
