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We provide specialized winterization services to safeguard your pool during the off-season, and when spring arrives, we handle the thorough opening process.
Child molestation allegations are among the most serious criminal accusations under Missouri law. These cases carry extreme penalties, aggressive prosecution, and immediate consequences that often begin before charges are ever filed.
Allegations alone can devastate a person’s life, family, career, and reputation. These cases frequently involve intense emotions, pressure on investigators, and a tendency toward overcharging. Early legal representation is not optional. It is critical.
Child molestation cases are not handled like ordinary criminal cases. They require experience, precision, and an understanding of how these investigations unfold.
Attorney Thomas Kissell has handled serious felony sex offense cases across Missouri, including allegations involving children. His experience includes early intervention, aggressive investigation-phase defense, and litigation of complex credibility and evidentiary issues.
Prosecutors and investigators know which attorneys are prepared to challenge these cases from the beginning. That matters.
Child molestation cases are often shaped before an arrest is ever made.
Investigators form theories early. Statements are taken early. Once those narratives are written into reports, reversing course becomes extremely difficult.
In many cases:
This stage is often where the most meaningful defense work happens.
Early retention allows defense counsel to:
In child molestation cases, early defense can mean the difference between no charges, a single count, or multiple felony counts.Once charges are filed, options narrow dramatically.
Missouri law defines child molestation based on sexual contact with a child under a specific age. These offenses do not require sexual intercourse or penetration.
Child molestation charges are divided into:
Each carries very different penalties.
Missouri Revised Statute 566.067 defines Child Molestation in the First Degree.
A person commits this offense if he or she subjects a child less than fourteen years of age to sexual contact.
Child molestation in the first degree is a serious felony offense.
Possible penalties include:
Attempted child molestation in the first degree carries the same sentencing exposure.
Missouri Revised Statute 566.068 defines Child Molestation in the Second Degree.
A person commits this offense if he or she subjects a child less than seventeen years of age to sexual contact.
Although the penalty range is lower than first degree charges, the consequences remain severe.
In child molestation cases:
These cases focus on statutory definitions, not perceptions or misunderstandings.
Despite the seriousness of these charges, allegations are not proof.
Common issues include:
Each case requires careful factual and statutory analysis.
Bond in child molestation cases is often extremely high and may reach six figures.
Defendants may face:
The damage often begins immediately.
There is no one-size-fits-all defense. Effective representation requires early involvement and aggressive defense strategy.
Defense approaches may include:
Preparation matters more in these cases than almost any other.
If you are under investigation or have been charged:
Early mistakes in these cases are often irreversible.
Attorney Thomas Kissell of Kissell Law Group has handled thousands of criminal cases across Missouri, including serious felony sex offense allegations.
If you are under investigation, have been contacted by police, or fear allegations may be coming, time matters.
All consultations are confidential and judgment-free.
Contact Kissell Law Group today to protect your future.