What exactly is the age of consent? In most cases, the age that consent is the minimum age of a human being can legally consent to engage in sexual intercourse with another individual.
Nevada sets the minimum age of consent for conduct of a heterosexual nature at sixteen years old.
For homosexual conduct, the age of consent was still 18 up until October of 2013, now the same as heterosexual conduct, 16 - Nevada is one of the few states explicitly permitting homosexual conduct via an established, legal age of consent for the action. It is illegal to engage in sexual intercourse with someone that is under 16 years of age in Nevada. Although there are situations in which it is permissible for one or both partners below the age of consent to have sex.
As long as both partners are under the age of 18 and are “reasonably” close to the same age, it is much less likely that a crime of statutory rape would be charged. Given that a defendant is under 21 years old, Nevada courts punish statuary rape as a gross misdemeanor. This entails a 364 day maximum jail sentence with a fine of up to $2,000. If a defendant is 21 or older, statutory rape is charged as a category C felony and is punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to $10,000.
If you are facing criminal charges, the law offices of Sgro & Roger can help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can provide the legal assistance you need.