Sex Crimes, Sex Offenders Statute of limitations. Florida

[Nomad]

Jurisdiction

Florida

I am a concerned brother. My sister (17) at the time had sexual inter course with a 27 year old male in 2018. The male was helping sneak alcohol to her. I can call upon 6 witnesses who can attest to the activity that took place at the time. Can I pursue this confidently enough to get results quickly or will it be a legal battle? Please help !

 

[Zigner]

I am a concerned brother. My sister (17) at the time had sexual inter course with a 27 year old male in 2018. The male was helping sneak alcohol to her. I can call upon 6 witnesses who can attest to the activity that took place at the time. Can I pursue this confidently enough to get results quickly or will it be a legal battle? Please help !

There's nothing that you can do personally. The police are the only ones who can pursue criminal charges. Frankly, at this point in time, it is highly unlikely that the police will act upon your report of this matter.

 

[zddoodah]

Can I pursue this confidently enough to get results quickly or will it be a legal battle?

I'm not sure what you mean by "pursue," but you have no standing to "pursue" anything beyond reporting the alleged crime to the police. The police have discretion to investigate or not. If they choose to investigate, they have discretion to refer the matter to the state's attorney for prosecution or not. If the police investigate and refer the matter to the state's attorney, the state's attorney has discretion to file charges or not. I would imagine that these discretionary decisions will depend in large part on the extent to which your sister cooperates and corroborates your story.

If charges are filed, then the extent of any resulting "legal battle" will depend in large part on whether the prosecutor is willing to offer and the defendant willing to accept a plea bargain.

Query why you are now concerned over something that happened 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 years ago. Why didn't you report the alleged crime closer to when it happened? Also, are there really six people who witnessed your sister and the guy having sex?

 

[mightymoose]

Unless your sister is willing to come forward as a victim nothing will happen. You could certainly report it, and police may contact her, but it all hinges on her willingness to acknowledge what happened.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

So let me guess. You don't like your sister's boyfriend who she first starting having sex with back before she turned 18?

 

[Tax Counsel]

I am a concerned brother. My sister (17) at the time had sexual inter course with a 27 year old male in 2018. The male was helping sneak alcohol to her. I can call upon 6 witnesses who can attest to the activity that took place at the time.!

Did you or any of those other people actually see her have sex with this guy when she was 17?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Did you or any of those other people actually see her have sex with this guy when she was 17?

You know TC, that would have been a pretty ridiculous question back when we were growing up. Sadly, not so much now.

 

[zddoodah]

Also, are there really six people who witnessed your sister and the guy having sex?

And a good follow up question is if these folks did witness the sexual acts, why did none of them do anything to try and stop it?

 

[Zigner]

I'm willing to bet (yep, a guess) that these "witnesses" heard stories, but never actually saw anything.