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Endangering the Welfare of a Child Attorney in Ocean County

Toms River NJ Child Endangerment Attorneys

In New Jersey, charges for Endangering the Welfare of a Child can arise under a wide variety of circumstances. These charges can be issued to parents who are accused of driving while intoxicated (DWI) with their child in the car, in cases of child abuse or neglect, or to those suspected of possessing, distributing, filming, or otherwise producing child pornography. If you are arrested for endangering the welfare of a child, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4, the degree of these charges will be determined by the specific details involved in your case. In New Jersey, child endangerment be a first degree crime and a conviction may result NJ State Prison sentence ranging up to twenty (20) years.

If you have been charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child in New Jersey, it is absolutely imperative to protect your rights and your innocence. William Proetta Criminal Law is an Ocean County criminal defense law firm that is deeply committed to defending clients against criminal charges, including endangering the welfare of a child, throughout Ocean County and New Jersey. With offices in Ocean County, we successfully resolve cases for clients in Toms River, Lacey, Lakewood, Brick, Manchester, Jackson, Ocean Township, Stafford, Lavallette, Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights. Our firm’s lawyers have handled a vast array of criminal cases throughout Ocean County and we set a standard of excellence that permeates our firm philosophy. If you or someone you love is facing charges for Endangering the Welfare of a Child in Ocean County, contact us today at (848) 238-2100 for a free consultation about your case.

Endangering the Welfare of a Child N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4

Charges for Endangering the Welfare of a Child are detailed in section N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4 of the New Jersey Criminal Code, which states the following:

N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4. Endangering the Welfare of a Child

“Any person having a legal duty for the care of a child or who has assumed responsibility for the care of a child who engages in sexual conduct which would impair or debauch the morals of the child, or who causes the child harm that would make the child an abused or neglected child as defined in R.S. 9:6-1, R.S. 9:6-3 and P.L. 1974, c. 119, § 1 is guilty of a crime of the second degree. Any other person who engages in conduct or who causes harm as described in this subsection to a child under the age of 16 is guilty of a crime of the third degree.”

Under New Jersey law, a person may be charged with endangering the welfare of a child for:

  • Child abuse
  • Child neglect
  • Sexual abuse, sexual assault, or statutory rape
  • Driving while intoxicated (DWI) with a child in the vehicle
  • Allowing a child to engage in a sexual act used for child pornography
  • Selling, offering for sale, or otherwise disseminating child pornography
  • Possessing or receiving child pornography
  • Viewing child pornography

NJ Penalties for Endangering the Welfare of a Child

Depending on the specific circumstances, endangering the welfare of a child can be a first degree, second degree or third degree. The penalties for each of these offenses will vary and just one change in facts could be the difference between a twenty (20) year prison sentence and probation.

First Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child

If you are convicted of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the First Degree, you are subject to a term of incarceration in a New Jersey State Prison for period between ten (10) and twenty (20) years, a $200,000 fine, Megan’s Law Registration, Parole Supervision for Life and a criminal record.

Second Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child

If you are convicted of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the Second Degree, you are subject to a term of incarceration in a New Jersey State Prison for period between five (5) and ten (10) years, a $150,000 fine, possible Megan’s Law Registration and possible Parole Supervision for Life.

Third Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child

If you are convicted of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the Third Degree, you are subject to a term of incarceration in a New Jersey State Prison for period between three (3) and five (5) years, a $15,000 fine, possible Megan’s Law Registration and possible Parole Supervision for Life.

Fourth Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child

If you are convicted of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the Second Degree, you are subject to a term of incarceration in a New Jersey State Prison for period up to eighteen (18) months, fines and a criminal record.

If a child endangerment charge involves a sex crime, a conviction may also result in mandatory sex offender registration under New Jersey’s Megan’s Law. Additionally, as a parent convicted of endangering the welfare of a child, this may affect your child custody arrangement or lead to proceedings with the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP), formerly the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS).

What is a Detention Hearing for Child Endangerment Charges?

Depending on the severity and nature of your criminal charges, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office may file a Motion to detain you in the Ocean County Jail for the entire process of your case. For charges involving Endangering the Welfare of a Child, it is very likely that this motion will for filed against you or your loved one. When this happens, it is crucial that you employ an experienced Detention Hearing Lawyer to fight for your release. Facing your charges while locked in jail has shown to negatively impact defendants throughout New Jersey. For an immediate and complimentary consultation with an attorney about your Pretrial Detention Hearing, please call today.

Manchester NJ Endangering Child Welfare Defense Lawyers

Often, charges for Endangering the Welfare of a Child coincide with other charges for DWI, sexual assault, or a restraining order. Our Ocean County criminal defense lawyers are equipped to handle all aspects of these cases and we work closely with our clients through every step of the legal process, providing answers and aggressively defending their rights. If you have been charged with endangering the welfare of a child in Ocean County or elsewhere in New Jersey, find the answers you need to move forward. Call our offices in Point Pleasant now at (848) 238-2100 and begin building your best defense.