Assault and violent charges
Dallas sex crimes defense lawyer.
An accusation of a sexual offense can upend your life before any court hears the evidence: an arrest, a CPS investigation, a protective order and people who have already made up their minds. You are presumed innocent, and you should not try to explain yourself to a detective, a caseworker or the person making the accusation. These cases turn on interviews, timelines, messages and forensic exams, and we examine every one of them carefully and quietly. Mr. Estrada, licensed in Texas since 2003, handles these cases in English or Spanish, in complete confidence.
Right now
If you have been accused or contacted by police.
- 01
Do not give an interview
Do not meet with detectives 'to clear things up,' and do not take a polygraph. Say you want a lawyer and stop talking. Being polite and staying quiet are not the same as admitting anything.
- 02
Be careful with calls and messages from the accuser
Police sometimes have the person making the accusation call or text you while they record it. Do not discuss the accusation by phone, text or social media with anyone.
- 03
Do not contact the accuser or their family
Even an apology or a request to 'talk it out' can be used as evidence or charged as tampering. If there is a protective order or bond condition, follow it exactly.
- 04
Keep your phone and do not delete anything
Do not unlock or hand over devices without a warrant, and do not delete messages, photos or accounts. Deleting can be charged as tampering and destroys evidence that may help you.
- 05
Call us before you sign anything with CPS
If Child Protective Services is involved, a caseworker may ask you to sign a safety plan or leave the home. What you say to CPS can reach the prosecutor. The consultation is free and confidential.
Key deadlines and numbers
- Sexual assault
- Second degree felony: 2 to 20 yearsSource: Tex. Penal Code 22.011
- Indecency with a child by contact
- Second degree felony: 2 to 20 yearsSource: Tex. Penal Code 21.11
- Sharing intimate images without consent
- State jail felony, not a ticketSource: Tex. Penal Code 21.16
- Registration after deferred adjudication
- Still required for most registrable offensesSource: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. 62.001
- Time limit for many child sexual offenses
- NoneSource: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. 12.01
Texas law
How Texas law treats sexual offense accusations.
Sexual offenses in Texas range from misdemeanors to first degree felonies with mandatory minimums. The level depends on the age of the person, the conduct alleged and any prior record. Many of these offenses also require registration, which often lasts longer than any sentence.
| Offense | Offense level | Range of punishment and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indecent exposure | Class B misdemeanor | Up to 180 days in county jail, fine up to $2,000 |
| Indecent assault | Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail, fine up to $4,000 |
| Unlawful disclosure of intimate images / invasive visual recording | State jail felony | 180 days to 2 years in state jail, fine up to $10,000 |
| Online solicitation of a minor | Third or second degree felony | 2 to 10 or 2 to 20 years, depending on the age and what was said or arranged |
| Indecency with a child by exposure / by contact | Third / second degree felony | 2 to 10 years / 2 to 20 years |
| Sexual assault | Second degree felony | 2 to 20 years, fine up to $10,000 |
| Aggravated sexual assault | First degree felony | 5 to 99 years or life; 25-year minimum in some cases involving young children |
| Continuous sexual abuse of a young child | First degree felony | 25 to 99 years or life, with no parole |
Registration can outlast the sentence
Many sexual offenses require registration with local police and the Department of Public Safety, for 10 years or for life depending on the offense. Deferred adjudication still counts. Missing a registration requirement is a separate felony. That is why the exact charge in any plea matters so much.
Source: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. ch. 62How these cases are built
Cases involving children usually rely on a recorded forensic interview at a children's advocacy center and on the first adult the child told, who can testify about that statement. Adult cases often involve a medical exam, messages and location data. Each of these has rules and weaknesses we examine.
Source: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. 38.072Old accusations can still be charged
Texas has no time limit for many sexual offenses involving children, and for some adult cases the limit depends on DNA evidence. An accusation about something from years ago is treated as seriously as a new one.
Source: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. 12.01Bail and bond conditions are strict
Since November 2025, judges must deny bail for certain sexual felonies when the State proves flight risk or danger. When bond is granted, conditions often include no contact with minors, limits on internet use and GPS monitoring.
How we work
How we defend an accusation.
Mr. Estrada reads your file and sets the strategy. Our team works the details with him, quietly, and you get updates in English or Spanish.
01
Protect you from the first contact
We tell detectives you will not be interviewed, deal with CPS for you, and make sure nothing you say or sign now becomes the State's main evidence.
02
Build the timeline
Phone records, messages, location data, work schedules and school calendars. A careful timeline often shows that the accusation, as told, could not have happened when or where it is said to have happened.
03
Review the interviews and the exams
We review the recorded forensic interview for leading or repeated questions, the outcry testimony, and any medical or DNA findings. When needed, we retain independent professionals to review the interview methods and the science.
04
Look honestly at the context
When an accusation first appears during a divorce, a custody fight or a breakup, we look closely at how and when it came up and who was involved. We do this respectfully, with evidence, not attacks.
05
Prepare for trial, and weigh every offer against registration
We prepare these cases for a jury. When an offer comes, we explain exactly what it means for registration, immigration and your family before you decide.
Who handles it
The lawyer on the sign is the lawyer on your case.
Mr. Estrada has practiced in Texas since 2003, in state court and in the Northern, Eastern and Western federal districts of Texas. He reads the file and sets the strategy, with associates and staff who work the case alongside him. Everything is explained to you in English or Spanish.
What clients say
“He made sure he addressed all of our questions and put us at ease. He never made it seem like we were an inconvenience.”What an accusation can affect.
- Can I be deported?
- Rape and sexual abuse of a minor are aggravated felonies under immigration law, and many other sexual offenses carry serious immigration consequences, even with deferred adjudication. Tell us your status at the first meeting.
- What happens with my children and CPS?
- A CPS investigation can run alongside the criminal case and lead to safety plans, supervised visits or a family court case. Decisions made there can affect the criminal case, and the reverse. We help you handle both together.
- My job and professional license
- Teachers, nurses, coaches, ministers and anyone working with children may face suspension or a licensing investigation even before a case is decided. These offenses cannot be sealed with an order of nondisclosure, so the outcome of the case is what protects your career.
- Where I can live and go
- Registration and probation conditions can limit where you live, whether you can be near schools or parks and how you use the internet. Some cities add their own rules. We go over every restriction before any plea.
Dallas and Odessa
Sexual offense cases in Dallas and Odessa.
In Dallas County, people arrested on these charges are taken to Lew Sterrett jail, and felony cases are heard in the criminal district courts at the Frank Crowley Courts Building on Riverfront Boulevard. Forensic interviews of children are usually done at the county's children's advocacy center. In Odessa, cases go through the Ector County jail and district courts. When the accusation involves the internet across state lines or images of minors, federal agents may bring the case in federal court in Dallas or Midland.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
Will I have to register as a sex offender?
It depends on the exact offense, not on the sentence. Many offenses require registration even after deferred adjudication, for 10 years or for life. Some outcomes do not require it, which is why the charge matters as much as the punishment.
What if the accusation is false?
Do not confront the person or try to prove it on your own. False accusations do happen, and they are disproven with timelines, records and careful review of how the accusation came about. Bring us everything and let us build it.
Is sharing intimate photos of someone a crime in Texas?
Yes. Sharing intimate images of a person without consent, when it causes harm, is a state jail felony, not a minor ticket. Threatening to share them can also be a crime.
Can I be charged for something from years ago?
Yes. Many sexual offenses involving children have no time limit in Texas. Older accusations have their own weaknesses, such as memory, missing records and how the accusation first surfaced.
Should I talk to CPS?
Be polite, but talk to us first. CPS caseworkers can share what you say with police and prosecutors. We can help you respond in a way that protects your children and your case.
Is what I tell you confidential?
Yes. What you tell us to get legal advice is protected by attorney-client privilege. The first consultation is free, and we discuss the fee and payment options up front.
Related situations
- Internet crimes
- Protective orders
- Jail release, bond and warrants
- Juvenile defense
- Immigration consequences of a charge
- All: State Criminal Defense
Updated October 2026
This page is general information about Texas law, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
Two offices
Oak Cliff and Odessa.
Mon to Fri 9 to 5, Sat 9 to 12. Emergencies 24/7 by phone.
Law Office of Olegario Estrada, P.C.
We explain everything.We answer 24/7.Se habla español.
Free consultation by phone, video, or in person. Offices in Dallas and Odessa.