Contributing To The Delinquency Of A Minor Is A Crime
Any juvenile facing a delinquency charge should consult with an attorney. For adults, under Oklahoma law, it is against the law to contribute to a delinquent minor. The statute makes it illegal to “knowingly or willfully cause, aid, abet or encourage a minor to be, to remain, or to become a delinquent child or a runaway child. . .” A runaway child is defined as one “voluntarily absent from the home without a compelling reason.” Encourage is defined later as a “willful and intentional neglect to do that which will directly tend to prevent such act or acts of delinquency on the part of such minor, when the person accused shall have been able to do so.”
Possible Defenses
First and most obviously, proving the minor is over the age of eighteen would defeat the charge. The minor must also have actually been delinquent, which in general means he or she was or is violating Oklahoma criminal laws. Finally, if your actions leading to the charge were not done on purpose, you have a good argument in your defense.
Potential Punishments
If your charge relates to encouraging or abetting a minor to commit a drug offense, you are subject to a felony conviction with a maximum fine of $200,000 and up to 20 years in prison. Harboring a runaway is a misdemeanor with potential for fines and up to one year in jail. Contributing to gang-related delinquency is a felony with significant punishment of up to five years in prison. Other types of contributing to a delinquent minor are punished as misdemeanors, but penalties can he higher for subsequent charges.
If Charged, You Should Consult With A Tulsa Criminal Defense Attorney
Contributing to the delinquency of a minor carries substantial punishment, and you should speak with a Tulsa criminal defense attorney.
For a confidential and initial strategy session, call the Seventh Street Tulsa Law Office at 918-932-2777.