Defending Police Officers Charged with Sex Crimes in Texas

What Sex Crime Charge Defense Covers for Texas Police Officers and Firefighters

A police officer or firefighter facing a sex crime charge in Texas needs a criminal defense lawyer who reviews the court case and the department’s file together. Barbieri Law Firm defends people accused of sex offenses and assaultive crimes from its office in Frisco, Texas.

This page is for an officer or firefighter who has heard about a complaint, received a department interview request, or been served with a warrant or charge. It is also for a spouse or family member helping make the next decision.

This is criminal defense for a person accused of a crime. It is not a civil claim against an officer or a department.

Many people in this position are still working. They worry about their paycheck, their career and their reputation while the criminal case moves forward. Those worries are real. They are easier to manage when the criminal case and the workplace questions are planned together from the start.

The Sex Offense Charges We Defend and How They Are Classified

Barbieri Law Firm defends sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and online sex crime charges. It also handles related assaultive and family violence allegations. The charge name matters, because the statute sets the elements the State must prove and the punishment range.

• Sexual assault. Under Texas Penal Code § 22.011, the law treats contact as without consent in listed situations. Those include force or coercion, and cases where the other person has not consented and the actor knows the person is unconscious, or the actor knows the person is intoxicated or impaired to the point that they cannot consent. Under Texas Penal Code § 22.011, sexual assault is a felony of the second degree, except that it is a first-degree felony in certain listed cases and a state jail felony in certain other cases.
• Aggravated sexual assault. Texas Penal Code § 22.021 lists aggravating facts, including causing serious bodily injury or attempting to cause the death of the victim or another person in the course of the same criminal episode, and using or exhibiting a deadly weapon in the course of the same criminal episode (Texas Penal Code § 22.021). It is a first-degree felony, with a range of 5 to 99 years or life. The minimum rises to 25 years in listed cases, including a victim younger than 10.
• Online sex crimes. Texas law covers sexually explicit online contact with a minor and soliciting a minor to meet for sexual conduct. Its felony level depends on the conduct and the minor’s age. Sending sexually explicit material without the recipient’s request or consent can be an offense under Texas law, a Class C misdemeanor.
• In the trial of an offense under Title 5 of the Penal Code, if a court finds the offense involved family violence, it must make an affirmative finding and enter it in the judgment (art. 42.013).

Texas law also defines a sexually violent offense to include sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault committed by a person 17 or older (art. 62.001). That definition is one reason the exact charge matters.

Your Criminal Case Comes First

The criminal case and the department’s internal file are separate tracks, and a statement in one can affect the other. Protecting your position means managing both from the start.

The criminal track runs through the prosecutor, the court and the bond process. The internal track is run by the department. It can include complaint intake, interview notes, body-worn or dash camera video, duty records and reports sent to prosecutors.

Reviewing one file alone can miss the point. What you say in one setting can reach the other. A careful review looks at both files side by side.

The firm requests and reviews the charging papers, bond terms, department notices and available evidence. Then it places each deadline and records request on one timeline, so you know what is pending and when.

Before anything else is said to the department, have a lawyer review the paperwork you already hold.

Giving Statements to Your Department: When Counsel Should Be Present

You should not sign or give a statement until a lawyer has reviewed the request and what it may be used for. That is the safest first step, whatever the department calls the meeting.

Start by asking what kind of meeting it is. Ask whether it is a conversation you may decline or an interview you are required to attend. Ask for that answer in writing.

A voluntary conversation and an ordered interview carry different risks. The wording of the notice shapes what a lawyer can do in the room.

Practical steps:

• Do not sign a consent form, waiver or written statement on the spot.
• Do not discuss the complaint with co-workers or on social media.
• Write down the date, time and names of anyone who contacts you.

Bring to a first meeting every notice and letter, the policies you received, the texts and emails about the complaint, and the names of anyone who has contacted you.

Other Consequences of a Criminal Charge

A criminal charge can affect your job, your standing and any license or certification you hold. Those effects can move on their own timeline, separate from the court case.

Employment steps can include administrative leave, reassignment, a pending termination review or a request to turn in credentials. Each step can come with its own notice and its own dates. Some may run at the same time as the criminal case.

The criminal outcome and the workplace process can influence each other. A finding in one setting can be raised in the other. Coordinated planning helps you respond to each notice correctly.

The firm reviews your current case status, the notices you have received from the court and the dates on each one. We explain what each date means and what each notice asks of you.

No lawyer can promise how an employer or a licensing agency will act.

How the Defense Works: Step by Step

The defense starts with a first consultation, then a records review, guidance on communications, and a plan for each stage of the case. Each step builds on the one before. Timelines vary, and each stage is explained in writing.

Step 1: First consultation. Describe the complaint or charge and bring the paperwork you have. Ask questions about the process before you decide anything.

Step 2: Records review. The firm reviews charging documents, bond terms, department notices and available evidence. That includes video, reports and digital communications.

Step 3: Communication guidance. The firm advises on any department interview request, contact from investigators and any statement you are considering.

Step 4: Early hearings and conditions. Bond conditions and protective order terms are explained in plain language. Violating certain protective order or bond conditions in a sexual assault or family violence case can be its own offense under § 25.07.

Step 5: Negotiation, motions or trial preparation. The next step depends on the evidence and the facts of your case. You receive updates in writing at each stage.

Talks with your lawyer are generally confidential. Keep your own copies of every notice you receive.

Why Work With Barbieri Law Firm on This Matter

Barbieri Law Firm is an all-women firm based in Frisco, Texas. Heather Barbieri is the lawyer responsible for your matter, and the firm focuses on sex crimes and assaultive offenses.

Heather Jean Barbieri, Board Certified, Criminal Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization. That statement applies to her alone, not to the firm or its staff.

Our support staff help with scheduling, paperwork and records requests. The firm serves Collin County, Dallas-Fort Worth and clients across Texas.

The firm explains each charge from the statute text itself. You see the elements the State must prove and the punishment range, not general claims. The firm also reviews the criminal file and the department file together.

No lawyer can promise how a case will end.

Common Questions About Sex Crime Charges for Officers and Firefighters

Talk With Us Before You Respond

If a department has asked you to sit for an interview while a charge is pending, you do not have to decide alone. Call (972) 424-1902, send your case details, or schedule a free consultation through the same page. The first consultation is free, confidential and carries no obligation to continue.