New York City Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child Lawyer

Few criminal charges in New York carry the weight, stigma, and legal complexity of course of sexual conduct against a child. This is not a charge built on a single alleged incident. By definition, it involves allegations of repeated sexual contact occurring over a period of time, and New York prosecutes it aggressively at both the first and second degree levels. The consequences span decades in prison, mandatory sex offender registration, and the kind of reputational damage that does not dissipate even after a case is resolved. Anyone under investigation or facing prosecution for this offense needs to understand what the charge actually means and what a defense actually looks like before they make any decisions.

New York City course of sexual conduct against a child lawyer Jason Goldman approaches these cases the way he approaches every high-stakes matter: with total command of the evidence, early and strategic intervention, and a clear-eyed view of where the prosecution’s case is strong and where it is not. These cases are among the most emotionally charged in the criminal justice system. They are also among the cases where the work done before an indictment, before arraignment, before the first court date, can make the difference between a conviction and a dismissal.

The Law Offices of Jason Goldman handles this category of defense with the kind of meticulous preparation these cases demand. Mr. Goldman is a former Brooklyn prosecutor who has tried more than 25 cases to verdict across every serious felony category. His understanding of how these cases are built by the government gives his clients an advantage that begins the moment he is retained.

How New York Charges and Prosecutes This Offense

Under New York Penal Law, course of sexual conduct against a child is divided into two degrees. The first degree charge applies when the alleged conduct involves sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct, anal sexual conduct, or aggravated sexual contact with a child under eleven years old over a period of at least three months. The second degree charge covers similar repeated contact with a child under thirteen where the defendant is eighteen or older. Both degrees are violent felonies under New York law, which carries significant procedural and sentencing implications that differ from non-violent felony charges.

What makes this charge distinct from a single-incident sex offense is the aggregated nature of the accusation. Prosecutors do not need to prove a specific incident on a specific date. Instead, they are permitted to establish a pattern of conduct over time, which means the defense must contend with a different evidentiary structure. There is often no physical evidence tied to a particular date. The government’s case typically rests heavily on the testimony of the alleged victim, supported by forensic interviews, medical records, testimony from those the child disclosed to, and sometimes expert witnesses on child memory and trauma.

In New York City, these cases are handled in the Special Victims divisions of the district attorney’s offices across the five boroughs. The Manhattan DA, Brooklyn DA, Queens DA, Bronx DA, and Staten Island DA each maintain dedicated units of prosecutors whose entire practice is focused on child sex offense cases. These are experienced adversaries, and the defense strategy has to be built with that in mind.

Why Jason Goldman’s Background Matters for This Defense

Mr. Goldman began his career as a prosecutor in Brooklyn, where he handled serious felony offenses and developed a granular understanding of how the government builds its cases. That prosecutorial instinct is now entirely in service of his clients. When he reviews the government’s file in a course of sexual conduct case, he is not learning how prosecutors think. He already knows.

His practice has been recognized by the New York Post as “High-Powered,” by WABC’s Sid Rosenberg as “Brilliant,” and by Chelsea News for his “history of getting high-profile defendants off.” Fox 5’s Rosanna Scotto has recommended him directly. He has represented corporate executives, professionals, politicians, athletes, celebrities, and private individuals across a range of criminal matters, and he brings the same level of discretion and preparation to every engagement regardless of the client’s public profile.

On cases involving sensitive allegations, Mr. Goldman’s capacity to manage the matter both inside and outside the courtroom is particularly valuable. He has an established network of public relations professionals, crisis management specialists, and trusted journalists that he deploys strategically when media attention is a factor. Equally important, he knows when to keep clients completely out of the public eye. In a charge as stigmatizing as this one, that kind of judgment is not a peripheral skill. It is central to protecting a client’s future.

He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the New York City Bar Association (where he serves on the Criminal Courts Committee), and the New York City Criminal Bar Association. He has been recognized as a New York Super Lawyers Rising Star.

The Core Issues That Define These Cases

• Forensic interview integrity: The initial disclosure interview with the child is often the most consequential piece of evidence in the case. Interviews conducted using leading questions, repeated prompting, or suggestive techniques can contaminate memory in ways that raise serious reliability concerns, and New York courts have recognized the significance of these challenges.
• Medical evidence limitations: Physical examination findings in child sexual abuse cases are frequently inconclusive or absent entirely. The prosecution’s characterization of medical findings as corroborative must be carefully scrutinized, and an independent medical expert can often offer a competing and credible interpretation.
• The delayed disclosure problem: Prosecutors routinely offer expert testimony explaining why children delay reporting abuse. The defense has an equal right to challenge the specific circumstances of any delay in a given case and to expose factors that may explain it differently.
• Statutory timeframes and the three-month element: For first-degree charges, the prosecution must establish that the conduct occurred over at least three months. Where the alleged timeframe is vague or contradicted by records showing the defendant and alleged victim were not in contact during the claimed period, that element becomes a genuine issue.
• First-degree versus second-degree exposure: Whether a case is charged at the first or second degree level has a direct impact on the sentencing range. Understanding where the evidence actually supports each element determines how the defense should be positioned in relation to potential resolutions.
• False allegations and motive: In cases arising from custody disputes, family conflict, or situations where a child has reason to fabricate or has been coached, evidence of motive and the specific circumstances of the disclosure becomes critical to the defense narrative.
• Sex offender registration consequences: A conviction under either degree triggers mandatory registration under New York’s Sex Offender Registration Act. The tier level assigned and the restrictions that follow, including residence, employment, and internet access limitations, can affect a person for decades or permanently.

What You Should Do If You Are Under Investigation or Have Been Charged

The most important thing to understand about course of sexual conduct cases is that they rarely begin with an arrest. They typically begin with a forensic investigation, often triggered by a disclosure to a school counselor, a pediatrician, or a family member. Law enforcement may contact you directly to request an interview, framed as a chance to tell your side of the story. Do not attend that interview without an attorney. Nothing you say voluntarily will help your situation, and anything you say can be used to build the case against you.

If you are already aware that an investigation may be underway, retain counsel immediately. Mr. Goldman regularly intervenes at the pre-arrest stage, engaging with investigators and prosecutors before charges are filed. This kind of early involvement has, in some cases, resulted in charges never being brought at all. The pre-arrest window is the most strategically significant phase of the case, and it closes the moment an indictment is handed up.

In New York City, Special Victims cases are typically prosecuted in the Supreme Court of the relevant borough following a grand jury indictment. The Manhattan Supreme Court at 100 Centre Street handles Manhattan cases. Brooklyn matters proceed through the Kings County Supreme Court at 320 Jay Street. The Bronx Supreme Court at 851 Grand Concourse handles Bronx cases. Queens cases are heard at the Queens County Supreme Court at 125 Queens Boulevard in Jamaica. Staten Island prosecutions go through the Richmond County Supreme Court at 18 Richmond Terrace. Knowing the local rules, the assigned parts, and the individual prosecutors in each of these offices is part of how this defense is executed effectively.

Preserve everything that may be relevant: text messages, emails, calendar records, school pickup logs, location data, receipts, and any other documentation that can establish your whereabouts or the nature of your relationship with the alleged victim during the timeframe in question. Do not attempt to contact the alleged victim, the victim’s family, or any witness in the case under any circumstances.

Questions New Yorkers Ask About This Charge

What is the difference between first and second degree course of sexual conduct against a child in New York?

First degree involves alleged conduct with a child under eleven years old and encompasses the most serious categories of sexual contact, including intercourse and oral and anal sexual conduct. Second degree involves a child under thirteen and a defendant who is eighteen or older. Both are felonies, but first degree carries a significantly higher mandatory minimum sentence and is classified as a class B violent felony. Second degree is a class D violent felony. The distinction affects not just sentencing exposure but also the procedural rights available at different stages of the case.

Does the prosecution have to prove specific dates for each alleged act?

No, and this is one of the features of this charge that makes it both distinctive and particularly challenging to defend. Prosecutors are permitted to allege a course of conduct over a defined period without specifying each individual incident. The tradeoff is that the defense can attack the vagueness of the allegations and challenge whether the prosecution has actually proven the three-month element or the requisite type of conduct.

Can these charges be reduced or dismissed before trial?

Yes. Pre-trial motion practice in New York sex offense cases is extensive. Motions to suppress statements, challenge grand jury proceedings, exclude expert testimony, or dismiss on legal insufficiency grounds are all available and can have significant impact. The strength of the prosecution’s evidence, the integrity of the investigation, and the specific facts of the case all influence what outcomes are realistically available. These determinations require a careful review of the full file.

What is the sex offender registration process in New York following a conviction?

New York’s Sex Offender Registration Act requires registration following conviction for covered offenses, including course of sexual conduct against a child. A Risk Assessment Board evaluates each case and recommends a tier level to the sentencing court. Level 1 carries the least restrictive registration requirements, Level 3 the most extensive. Tier level affects public notification, internet posting, and duration of registration. In some cases, defendants receive lifetime registration. Challenging the tier designation at the hearing is a separate proceeding with its own procedural rules and is something defense counsel should be prepared for well in advance of sentencing.

What happens if the allegations arose during a custody dispute or family conflict?

This is one of the more complex factual scenarios in this category of case. Where allegations surface in the context of divorce proceedings, custody battles, or family tension, the credibility of the disclosure and the circumstances surrounding it become central to the defense. The history between the parties, any documentation of the conflict, and the timeline of the accusation relative to any pending civil proceedings can all be relevant. These cases require a coordinated strategy that accounts for both the criminal prosecution and any parallel family court proceedings.

Can a charge this serious be defended at trial, or is a plea the only realistic path?

These cases go to trial. Mr. Goldman has tried more than 25 cases to verdict, including cases in the most serious felony categories. Whether a case is better resolved through trial or a negotiated resolution depends entirely on the specific evidence and the realistic sentencing exposure at both alternatives. The decision belongs to the client, but it should be made only after a thorough analysis of what the government can actually prove and what a jury is likely to do with the evidence as it stands.

How do forensic expert witnesses factor into the defense?

Expert testimony plays a significant role on both sides of these cases. The prosecution often calls a physician to discuss medical findings and a mental health expert to explain child disclosure patterns. The defense has the right to retain its own experts, including those who can speak to the reliability of forensic interviews, the science of child memory, and alternative explanations for physical findings. Retaining qualified experts early and integrating their analysis into the overall defense strategy is standard practice in cases of this type.

Does a New York conviction affect federal employment, professional licenses, or immigration status?

Yes, across all three categories. Many professional licenses in New York, including those for healthcare providers, educators, attorneys, and financial professionals, are subject to disciplinary action or revocation following a conviction for a sex offense. Federal employment, including positions requiring security clearances, is typically unavailable to individuals on the sex offender registry. For non-citizens, a conviction for a course of sexual conduct offense can trigger deportation and bar any future immigration relief. These collateral consequences are part of what an effective defense strategy must account for from the beginning.

What if the child recants the allegation?

A recantation does not automatically result in dismissal. Prosecutors in New York are aware that children sometimes recant due to family pressure, guilt, or fear, and they are trained to evaluate recantations critically. In some cases, the prosecution continues even after a full recantation. However, a genuine, credible recantation can be a powerful factor in negotiations and at trial. How it is handled, whether through the child’s own testimony, through prior consistent or inconsistent statements, or through expert testimony on recantation dynamics, requires careful legal strategy.

How long does a New York course of sexual conduct case typically take to resolve?

These cases move slowly. From indictment through trial can take anywhere from one to several years depending on the volume of discovery, the complexity of the expert issues, motion practice, and court scheduling. Pre-trial proceedings in New York City’s Supreme Courts are often spread across months, with hearings on suppression issues and Molineux applications (involving uncharged bad acts evidence) sometimes resolved in separate proceedings before jury selection begins. Understanding this timeline helps clients make practical decisions about employment, housing, and other aspects of life that the case will affect throughout its pendency.

Defending Clients Across New York City and the Surrounding Region

The Law Offices of Jason Goldman represents clients facing course of sexual conduct charges across all five boroughs and throughout the greater New York area. This includes clients from Manhattan neighborhoods including the Upper West Side, Harlem, Washington Heights, Chelsea, the Lower East Side, and Midtown, as well as clients from throughout Brooklyn, including Crown Heights, Flatbush, Bensonhurst, Park Slope, Bay Ridge, and Bed-Stuy. The firm represents clients from throughout the Bronx, including Riverdale, Co-op City, Fordham, and Pelham Parkway, and from across Queens, including Jamaica, Flushing, Astoria, Forest Hills, and Far Rockaway. Staten Island clients from communities including St. George, Tottenville, and New Dorp are also served.

Beyond the five boroughs, the firm handles matters in Westchester County, Nassau County, and Suffolk County, as well as in federal courts throughout the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Mr. Goldman is also admitted in New Jersey and available for pro hac vice representation in other jurisdictions where appropriate. Wherever these charges arise in the region, the firm is positioned to provide representation from the earliest stages of an investigation through trial and, where necessary, through appeal.

Speak With a New York City Sexual Conduct Against a Child Attorney Today

Charges of this nature demand immediate, strategic legal intervention. The earlier a New York City sexual conduct against a child attorney is involved, the greater the opportunity to shape what happens next. Jason Goldman handles a selective caseload precisely so that each client receives focused, hands-on representation at every stage. There is no handoff to junior associates on matters of this consequence.

To speak with Mr. Goldman directly about your situation, contact The Law Offices of Jason Goldman. The initial consultation is confidential, and nothing said during that conversation creates an obligation. For anyone under investigation or already facing charges in New York or federal court, the time to engage counsel is now.