20 Year Old Charged With Fornification And Contributing To Delinquency Of A Minor

My question involves criminal law for the state of: VIRGINIA

Here's my problem. I'm a 20 year old married female with two kids. Me and a under-age friend were at a city park, when the police arrived and assumed we had sex. I was on the driver's side, fully clothed, and he was in the passenger seat, fully clothed when they arrived. They charged me with fornification and contributing to a minor. I don't understand how they charged me with these two when they didn't catch or see anything, as far as they knew we were just talking. The parent's didn't press charges, these are police charges. I go to court next thursday and I need to know what to expect, do I need a lawyer or is this just a pulimanary hearing? Also, the friend doesn't have to be there thursday, just the cop. Please help!!

I notice you are very careful not to say whether or not you were schtuping the child.

My guess is that they saw you prior to knocking on your window.

Get an attorney. You do not want to face this down alone.

We didn't do anything. That's what I'm saying.

We were at the baseball fields, then we drove over to the park. It wasn't dark out or anything.

And they didn't see us prior to anything, because we saw them turn the corner to come into the park.

So I should get a attorney before thursday?

Someone seen something more than two, fully clothed people just talking.

§ 18.2-344. Fornication.

§ 18.2-371. Causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc.; penalty; abandoned infant.

Class 4 misdemeanor is punishable by a fine up to $250.

Class 1 misdemeanor is punishable up to 12 months in jail and/or up to a $2,500 fine.

This site gives you an idea on Virginia Criminal Procedure.

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Quoting atvracing20

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We didn't do anything. That's what I'm saying.

We were at the baseball fields, then we drove over to the park. It wasn't dark out or anything.

And they didn't see us prior to anything, because we saw them turn the corner to come into the park.

So I should get a attorney before thursday?

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Here is what causes my confusion... when you say things like...

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I'm a 20 year old married female with two kids. Me and a under-age friend were at a city park, when the police arrived and assumed we had sex. I was on the driver's side, fully clothed, and he was in the passenger seat, fully clothed when they arrived. They charged me with fornification and contributing to a minor. I don't understand how they charged me with these two when they didn't catch or see anything, as far as they knew we were just talking.

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Anyone can turn you in for suspected sexual transgressions with a child... not just the parents of that child.

Now for the tough question... have you EVER had sexual relations of any kind with this child?

Well I was saying that as in from their point of view, they didn't SEE anything so how are they charging me with intercourse when it didn't happen?

No I haven't. He's good friends with me and my husband and our friends.

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Quoting atvracing20

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Well I was saying that as in from their point of view, they didn't SEE anything so how are they charging me with intercourse when it didn't happen?

No I haven't. He's good friends with me and my husband and our friends.

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If that's true, then you will probably get the fornication charge dropped.

You will still need an attorney.

You will also have to have a very good reason why you and an under age minor were sitting and talking in an isolated parking lot.

Why not the contributing sex to a minor? When we didn't have sex!

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Quoting atvracing20

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Why not the contributing sex to a minor? When we didn't have sex!

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Contributing sex or contributing to the delinquency of a minor?

Is this the Virginia Code that you are being charged under?


§ 18.2-371. Causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc.; penalty; abandoned infant.

Any person 18 years of age or older, including the parent of any child, who (i) willfully contributes to, encourages, or causes any act, omission, or condition which renders a child delinquent, in need of services, in need of supervision, or abused or neglected as defined in § 16.1-228, or (ii) engages in consensual sexual intercourse with a child 15 or older not his spouse, child, or grandchild, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This section shall not be construed as repealing, modifying, or in any way affecting §§ 18.2-18, 18.2-19, 18.2-61, 18.2-63, 18.2-66, and 18.2-347.

If it is....

The statute doesn't state that sex had to be involved for you to be guilty of the offense. (Notice the conjunction.)