Rape Attorney in Odessa, TX

Defending Sexual Assault Charges in Ector County Since 2016

A rape or sexual assault charge in Odessa carries consequences that begin at arrest, long before any verdict. Reputation, employment, and family relationships can shift overnight. At Sarabia Law Firm, we provide individualized criminal defense from the initial consultation through court proceedings.

Texas doesn’t use rape as a statutory term. Conduct commonly described as rape is prosecuted as sexual assault under Texas Penal Code Section 22.011. Our attorneys are Odessa-area natives who understand the local court environment, and we begin by reviewing the allegations, available evidence, and immediate court obligations.

If you or someone you know is facing a rape or sexual assault charge in Odessa, call us at (432) 224-8036 for a free consultation. Se Habla Español.

What Texas Law Defines As Sexual Assault

The statute addresses nonconsensual penetration involving the anus, sexual organ, or mouth. Whether conduct occurred without consent depends on the evidence surrounding the allegation, including force, threats, unconsciousness, or an inability to consent because of intoxication or impairment known to the accused.

In 2025, Texas amended Section 22.011 to cross-reference the Penal Code’s general definition of consent. The amendment also added an impairment standard covering a person known to be incapable of consenting because of intoxication or another impairment. These provisions make the timing, context, communications, and condition of the people involved central to a case-specific review.

Felony Charges & Sentencing Ranges

Sexual assault is generally a second-degree felony. The punishment range is two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Certain prohibited-relationship circumstances elevate the offense to a first-degree felony.

Aggravated Sexual Assault
Texas Penal Code Section 22.021 defines aggravated sexual assault as a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison, plus a fine of up to $10,000. Aggravating factors include serious bodily injury, use of a deadly weapon, threats of death or kidnapping, administration of an incapacitating substance, acting with another person, or an alleged victim younger than 14.

The minimum prison term increases to 25 years when the alleged victim is younger than 10. The same minimum applies when the alleged victim is younger than 14 and the offense involved serious bodily injury or an attempt to cause death.

Consequences That Outlast the Sentence

A conviction doesn’t end when a prison term does. Texas lists sexual assault under Section 22.011 and aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021 as offenses carrying lifetime sex-offender registration. Registration creates continuing reporting obligations after the criminal sentence has been completed.

Chapter 62 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure uses lifetime and 10-year registration periods. For reportable offenses that aren’t on the lifetime list, the 10-year period begins only after incarceration, parole, and community supervision have all been discharged. A defense strategy must account for both the criminal penalties and the registration classification attached to the charged offense.

Defense Strategies in Rape & Sexual Assault Cases

We start with your account and compare it with police reports, witness statements, forensic evidence, and digital records. We don’t treat an accusation as a routine file or assume one defense fits every case. The evidence determines which factual and constitutional issues require investigation.

Our review can include:

• Consent: In adult cases, texts, social-media communications, witness accounts, and the circumstances surrounding the encounter can be relevant to whether the prosecution can prove a lack of consent.
• Innocence & Identification: Alibis, surveillance footage, location information, and witness testimony can challenge an allegation that identifies the wrong person.
• Forensic Evidence: We examine forensic analysis, rape kit collection practices, and possible DNA cross-contamination rather than treating laboratory evidence as automatically reliable.
• Digital Evidence: We analyze texts, social-media material, and other electronic records for context, timing, inconsistencies, and information omitted from the initial allegation.
• Constitutional Violations: We evaluate whether searches, seizures, or statements violated constitutional protections and whether pretrial motions should seek suppression of evidence.
• Credibility & Consistency: We compare police reports, medical records, recorded statements, and testimony when investigating an accuser’s credibility or possible motive.

Our work in other criminal matters, including family violence cases, informs our broader trial practice. In a sexual assault case, we focus on the charged elements and the evidence bearing on them. The prosecution must prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt, and we hold it to that burden.

Why Odessa Residents Choose Sarabia Law Firm

Our attorneys are native to the Odessa area and have represented clients in Ector County courts. Those local roots inform our understanding of how prosecutors, judges, and juries in the region approach serious sex-offense allegations. We pair that court familiarity with private representation tailored to each client’s circumstances and priorities.

We keep clients informed from the initial review through hearings and court proceedings. Technology supports our case management and communication, while our attorneys remain responsible for examining the evidence and explaining the available choices.

Our reported not-guilty verdicts include:

• Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon
• Burglary of a Habitation
• Felon in Possession of a Firearm
• Felony Assault by Choking
• Felony Assault Family Violence with a Prior Conviction

These past results don’t guarantee a particular result in another case, but they reflect our history of preparing felony cases for trial.

People in Odessa or Ector County can begin with a free consultation. Se Habla Español.