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800-921-8607

Get a Free Consultation 24/7

800-921-8607

Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer for Sex Crimes, Computer Crimes, and Federal Charges

Under investigation or facing charges in Florida? Early defense decisions matter. Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 to speak with experienced criminal defense lawyers before the case is defined for you.

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Table of Contents

Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer for Sex Crimes, Computer Crimes, and Federal Charges

Florida Counties We Focus On

Gonzalez & Waddington focus heavily on South Florida and the tri-county region where serious cases frequently involve complex evidence and aggressive charging posture. Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties routinely see high-volume enforcement and task-force activity in sex crimes, computer crimes, and trafficking-related allegations.

  • Broward County criminal defense for serious allegations with digital evidence and high collateral consequences
  • Miami-Dade County criminal defense for state and federal exposure, including internet-based and task-force matters
  • Palm Beach County criminal defense for high-stakes felony cases, including cases involving restrictive bond conditions and reputational risk

Practice Area Links

These pages provide deeper, targeted guidance for the most common high-intent categories of Florida cases we defend.

Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer – State and Federal Defense for Serious Charges

If you are under investigation or charged with a crime in Florida, the safest move is to stop talking, avoid consent searches, preserve evidence, and get defense counsel involved immediately, because Florida cases escalate fast and federal exposure is common in serious matters.

This matters in Florida because the highest-stakes cases often involve sex crimes, computer crimes, alleged human trafficking, and investigations that cross county and federal lines, especially in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. Gonzalez & Waddington defend serious Florida criminal cases with a trial-focused strategy designed to challenge evidence early, control the narrative, and protect clients from the permanent consequences that begin long before a courtroom verdict.

Hiring an Experienced Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer

Florida criminal cases are rarely confined to one decision point. A single accusation can trigger arrest, bond conditions, no-contact orders, device searches, workplace consequences, and parallel investigations across agencies. In high-priority offense categories, investigators often build cases through statements and digital evidence first, then proceed to formal charges once the narrative is fixed.

  • Serious Florida cases are often decided early, during the investigation phase, not at trial.
  • Digital evidence such as texts, social media, photos, metadata, and location data frequently shapes charging decisions.
  • Search warrants and device seizures can expand the case far beyond the original allegation.
  • Federal involvement becomes likely when cases involve the internet, interstate conduct, or multi-agency task forces.
  • Bond and no-contact conditions can create new exposure if violated even unintentionally.
  • County differences matter because charging posture and enforcement priorities can vary across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach.
  • Trial readiness creates leverage, because prosecutors negotiate differently when the defense is prepared to litigate.

Aggressive Criminal Defense Lawyers: Gonzalez & Waddington

Watch the criminal defense lawyers at Gonzalez & Waddington break down how they defend criminal cases and service members worldwide against Federal Charges, Florida State Charges, UCMJ allegations, CID/NCIS/OSI investigations, court-martials, Article 120 cases, administrative separations, and GOMORs. If you’re under investigation or facing charges, this video explains what your rights are and how experienced criminal defense lawyers can make the difference.

Major Florida Criminal Offenses We Defend

A comprehensive Florida criminal defense practice must cover both the offense category and the evidence category, because Florida prosecutors often charge aggressively based on what they believe the evidence suggests. Gonzalez & Waddington focus on serious charges where liberty, career, and long-term consequences are at stake.

Sex crimes and sex offense investigations

These cases often turn on credibility, consent disputes, digital evidence, and narrative framing. Early defense is critical because statements and device searches frequently define the case.

Computer crimes and digital evidence cases

These cases often hinge on attribution, access, intent, forensic methodology, and search warrant scope. Digital assumptions must be tested, not accepted.

Human trafficking and related allegations

These cases often involve task-force investigations, complex narratives, and severe sentencing exposure. Early strategy must address both state and federal risk.

Violent felonies and weapon-related offenses

These cases frequently involve credibility disputes, self-defense issues, and heavy reliance on statements and scene interpretation.

Drug crimes and distribution allegations

These cases often involve search and seizure issues, informant credibility, and conspiracy-style charging decisions.

Fraud, theft, and financial crimes

These cases often involve document interpretation, intent disputes, and electronic records that require careful analysis.

Selecting an Aggressive Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you are being investigated or charged in Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach County, early decisions matter more than you think. Florida prosecutors and investigators move quickly, and statements, device access, and consent searches often shape the outcome before charges are finalized. Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 to get informed guidance before the case is defined for you.

Contact Our Criminal Defense Lawyers

If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges or a criminal investigation by federal authorities, the military, or the State of Florida, early defense matters. Gonzalez & Waddington provide disciplined, trial-focused criminal defense for high-stakes cases involving serious allegations and complex evidence. To speak with experienced criminal defense lawyers and get confidential guidance, call 1-800-921-8607 or text 954-909-7407 to request a no-cost, confidential consultation.

Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer – Sex Crimes, Computer Crimes, and Federal Exposure

Florida’s highest-stakes criminal cases increasingly involve sex crimes, computer crimes, and federal exposure, and the safest strategy is early silence, no consent searches, evidence preservation, and immediate defense intervention.

This matters because investigators in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach routinely pursue device seizures, cloud warrants, and digital timelines to build intent-based narratives, and many cases move from state investigation to federal prosecution without warning. Gonzalez & Waddington build defense strategy around evidence integrity, attribution, intent, and courtroom readiness so that digital assumptions do not become permanent conclusions.

Digital evidence

Digital evidence is now central in many Florida prosecutions, even when the allegation appears non-technical. Texts, social media, photos, metadata, location data, and account activity are used to infer intent, credibility, and state of mind. Once a device is searched, the investigation often expands into unrelated material, creating new exposure that never existed at the beginning of the case.

  • Do not consent to searches of phones, computers, or accounts, because consent expands scope dramatically.
  • Assume messages can be quoted out of context unless complete threads and timing are preserved.
  • Federal risk rises when cases involve the internet, interstate data, cloud storage, or task-force investigations.
  • Attribution is often the real issue, because device ownership does not prove user intent or activity.
  • Search warrant scope and execution frequently determine what evidence is admissible.
  • Defense strategy must anticipate parallel pathways such as administrative consequences, employment actions, and licensing fallout.

Sex Crimes Defense in Florida

Florida sex crime cases are frequently credibility-driven, and many proceed with limited physical evidence. Prosecutors often rely on early statements, selective digital excerpts, and simplified narratives. Defense strategy focuses on credibility testing, consent context, timeline reconstruction, and evidentiary challenges that prevent the case from being framed as a moral story rather than a proof problem.

For focused sex-crime coverage, use:

CSAM and Online Sting Defense in Florida

CSAM and online sting cases are built on technical evidence and investigator interpretations, not on traditional eyewitness proof. Defense strategy must address attribution, intent, forensic methodology, and whether law enforcement conduct shaped the narrative. These cases often involve federal exposure and severe sentencing consequences, which makes early defense strategy essential.

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Computer Crime Defense in Florida

Computer crime cases are often prosecuted through simplified technical narratives that do not accurately reflect how systems work. A strong defense tests whether the government can prove who did what, when, and with what intent, rather than relying on assumptions about IP addresses, account ownership, or file presence.

For focused coverage, use:

Human Trafficking and Related Allegations

Human trafficking allegations carry extreme stigma and severe sentencing exposure, and they are often investigated by task forces that coordinate across county lines and federal agencies. These cases commonly involve digital communications, financial records, and narrative framing designed to suggest coercion, exploitation, or organized conduct even when the evidence is ambiguous. Defense strategy must address both the legal definitions and the evidentiary story being presented.

  • Early defense focuses on evidence mapping, communication context, and intent analysis.
  • Digital records and financial documents often require careful reconstruction rather than assumptions.
  • Multi-agency investigations raise additional procedural and scope issues.
  • Parallel administrative and professional consequences often begin before trial.

How Gonzalez & Waddington Defend Florida Criminal Cases

Gonzalez & Waddington defend serious Florida criminal cases with a trial-focused strategy grounded in evidence integrity, credibility testing, and early intervention. The firm’s approach emphasizes preventing self-created evidence, challenging unlawful searches, and preparing for courtroom scrutiny from the beginning.

  • Immediate intervention to stop interviews and avoid consent searches.
  • Early evidence preservation and timeline reconstruction.
  • Search warrant scope review and suppression planning where appropriate.
  • Digital evidence context analysis to prevent selective excerpts from defining intent.
  • Defense planning for state and federal exposure in parallel.
  • Preparation for hearings and trial posture that changes negotiation leverage.

Selecting a Florida Sex Crime Defense Lawyer

If your case involves sex crimes, computer crimes, CSAM allegations, online stings, or human trafficking allegations in Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach County, early defense is the difference between a manageable case and a permanent outcome. Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 to get strategic guidance before statements, searches, and digital assumptions define the case.

Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer – Comprehensive Coverage of Major Offenses in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach

A comprehensive Florida criminal defense strategy must address both the charge category and the evidence category, because prosecutors build cases through statements, digital records, and narrative framing long before trial, especially in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.

This matters because many Florida cases involve overlapping risks, including state prosecution, federal prosecution, parallel task-force investigation, and long-term consequences affecting employment, family life, housing, and reputation. Gonzalez & Waddington defend serious Florida cases with a unified strategy that anticipates escalation, challenges evidence early, and prepares for courtroom scrutiny.

Aggressive Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers

Florida criminal defense requires more than responding to charges. It requires controlling the investigative phase, preventing consent-based evidence expansion, and building a defense narrative supported by verifiable facts. This is especially true in high-priority categories like sex crimes, computer crimes, and trafficking-related allegations where task forces and prosecutors push aggressive charging decisions.

  • Most irreversible damage occurs at the investigation stage, not in court.
  • Digital evidence often defines intent unless full context is preserved.
  • County-level practices can affect charging posture and bond conditions.
  • Federal exposure must be considered early when internet or interstate evidence exists.
  • Administrative and professional consequences can begin before trial.
  • Trial readiness creates leverage and improves resolution options.

Major Offense Categories in Florida Criminal Defense

Gonzalez & Waddington focus on serious cases where liberty and long-term consequences are at stake. The categories below reflect the core practice areas that frequently intersect with sex crimes, computer crimes, and federal exposure.

Sex crimes and sex offense investigations

These cases often involve credibility disputes, consent issues, and digital evidence framing. Defense strategy focuses on proof, context, and evidentiary challenges.

Computer crimes and cyber allegations

These cases often involve attribution disputes, device forensics, search warrant scope, and intent analysis.

CSAM and online sting investigations

These cases are built on technical evidence and communications, often with federal risk and severe sentencing exposure.

Human trafficking and related allegations

These cases often involve task-force investigations, digital communications, financial records, and aggressive narrative framing.

Violent felonies and weapon-related allegations

These cases often involve credibility, self-defense issues, scene interpretation, and statement risk.

Drug crimes and distribution allegations

These cases often involve search and seizure issues, informant credibility, and conspiracy charging.

Fraud, theft, and financial crimes

These cases often involve electronic records, intent disputes, and document interpretation.

Practice Area Links

Use these pages for deeper coverage of the highest-intent categories we defend in Florida.

Pro Tips

  • Do not talk to investigators without counsel, even if you believe the case is minor.
  • Do not consent to searches of devices, accounts, or homes without legal advice.
  • Preserve all digital evidence and full message threads, not screenshots.
  • Follow bond and no-contact conditions strictly, because violations create new exposure.
  • Assume federal risk when cases involve the internet, cloud accounts, or interstate communications.
  • Choose counsel that prepares for trial early, because trial posture influences every negotiation.

Common Issues We See

  • Defendants talk early and create the strongest evidence in the case.
  • Consent searches expand investigations beyond the original allegation.
  • Digital evidence is quoted out of context and treated as intent proof.
  • Task-force investigations create overlapping state and federal exposure.
  • Administrative and professional consequences begin before trial.
  • Defense strategy begins too late to shape the narrative.

Hiring a Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer

Florida criminal cases involving sex crimes, computer crimes, CSAM allegations, online sting operations, and human trafficking-related accusations are prosecuted aggressively and often involve both county and federal exposure. In Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, investigators and prosecutors move quickly to secure statements, seize devices, extract digital data, and build narratives that later drive charging decisions and sentencing exposure. Once that narrative hardens, options narrow.

Gonzalez & Waddington defend serious Florida criminal cases with a trial-focused approach designed to control evidence flow early, challenge investigative assumptions, and prepare cases for courtroom scrutiny rather than hoping for informal resolution. Their strategy emphasizes disciplined silence, no consent searches, full-context digital evidence analysis, and early motion practice when appropriate.

If you are being investigated, contacted by law enforcement, served with a warrant, or fear charges in Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach County, the safest step is to get informed guidance now before statements, device access, or rushed decisions create permanent consequences. Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 to discuss your situation and protect your options early.

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Top Benefits of Hiring a Skilled Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer

  • Experienced Florida defense lawyers understand how early investigative decisions shape charging, bond conditions, and long-term exposure.
  • They know how Florida prosecutors in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties approach serious felony cases and when federal involvement is likely.
  • An experienced defense lawyer can stop damaging interviews and prevent consent searches that expand cases unnecessarily.
  • They know how to challenge digital evidence, forensic assumptions, and search warrant scope before technical summaries become accepted fact.
  • Seasoned Florida defense counsel can identify weaknesses in credibility-based cases and prepare effective cross-examination strategies.
  • They anticipate collateral consequences such as registration, employment loss, and professional licensing issues and plan defense strategy accordingly.
  • Experienced defense lawyers prepare cases for trial early, which creates leverage for dismissal or favorable resolution.
  • They coordinate defense strategy across state and federal forums when cases involve internet activity or task-force investigations.

Common Crimes Involving Tourists in Miami and Fort Lauderdale

Miami and Fort Lauderdale attract millions of tourists each year for vacations, cruises, conventions, nightlife, and business travel, and law enforcement in these areas actively targets visitor-heavy locations for undercover operations and enforcement initiatives. Many tourists are arrested for serious crimes they never expected to face, often based on situations that seemed casual, anonymous, or low-risk at the time. Once an arrest occurs, visitors quickly learn that Florida prosecutors treat these cases aggressively, regardless of the accused’s home state or length of stay.

  • Undercover prostitution and massage parlor stings targeting visitors near hotels, beaches, and convention centers
  • Online solicitation cases involving ads, escort websites, or dating apps accessed while traveling
  • Hotel-based encounters that escalate after law enforcement monitors communications or payments
  • Computer and digital evidence charges arising from phone searches conducted after arrest
  • Alcohol-related incidents that are later reframed as sex crimes once messages or videos are reviewed

For tourists, these cases are especially disruptive because they often require repeated court appearances in Florida, create risk to employment and professional licenses back home, and carry long-term consequences such as criminal records or registration requirements. Gonzalez & Waddington assist tourists arrested in Miami and Fort Lauderdale by intervening early to control the investigation, challenge undercover tactics, limit digital evidence exposure, and manage cases in a way that reduces travel burden and protects reputations. If you were arrested while visiting South Florida, early defense is critical to preventing a temporary trip from turning into a permanent legal problem, and Gonzalez & Waddington can be reached at 1-800-921-8607 to provide immediate guidance.

Criminal Defense Representation Across South and Central Florida

Our criminal defense lawyers represent clients facing state and federal criminal charges throughout South Florida and across the state. The locations below reflect where we regularly defend individuals accused of serious crimes, investigations, arrests, and prosecutions in local, state, and federal courts.

Broward County Criminal Defense – Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Surrounding Cities

Broward County is one of the most aggressively enforced jurisdictions in Florida for serious felony cases, particularly sex crimes, computer crimes, and undercover sting operations. Cities such as Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, and Coral Springs regularly see law enforcement activity tied to massage parlor stings, online solicitation investigations, escort-related arrests, and digital evidence-driven prosecutions. Many cases begin with what appears to be a routine encounter or online communication and quickly escalate into felony charges once phones, payment records, or messages are reviewed. Broward law enforcement frequently works with multi-agency task forces, meaning a local arrest can expand into a broader state or federal investigation if not handled carefully from the start.

  • Massage parlor and undercover prostitution stings in Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood
  • Online solicitation and sting cases involving apps and websites
  • Computer crime and digital evidence cases tied to shared devices or workplace systems
  • Task-force investigations that expand local arrests into multi-count cases

Gonzalez & Waddington defend serious Broward County cases by intervening early, stopping damaging interviews, challenging undercover operations, and controlling digital evidence before prosecutors lock in their narrative. Early defense is often the difference between limited exposure and career-altering consequences.

Miami-Dade County Criminal Defense – Miami, Miami Beach, Doral, and Hialeah

Miami-Dade County is a focal point for high-volume state and federal criminal enforcement due to its tourism, nightlife, international travel, and convention traffic. Miami, Miami Beach, Brickell, Doral, and Hialeah frequently see arrests involving prostitution stings, massage parlors, escort advertisements, hotel-based encounters, and internet-facilitated sex crime allegations. Many people traveling to Miami for business or leisure underestimate how aggressively these operations are conducted and are surprised to find themselves arrested after responding to an online ad or visiting a massage establishment. Miami-Dade prosecutors are known for pursuing broad charging decisions and relying heavily on phone searches, cloud data, and financial records.

  • Undercover prostitution and massage parlor stings targeting visitors and locals
  • Online solicitation cases tied to hotels, short-term rentals, and dating apps
  • Digital evidence seizures involving phones, cloud accounts, and payment platforms
  • Cases with immediate federal exposure due to interstate or international communications

Gonzalez & Waddington help clients in Miami-Dade County by acting quickly to prevent self-incrimination, limit device searches, and challenge aggressive charging strategies that often follow undercover operations. In a county where cases move fast and publicity risk is high, early, strategic defense is critical.

Palm Beach County Criminal Defense – West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and Delray Beach

Palm Beach County combines affluent communities, seasonal tourism, and a strong law enforcement presence that actively pursues serious felony cases. Cities such as West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and Jupiter frequently see investigations involving massage parlors, escort services, online solicitation, computer crimes, and human trafficking-related allegations. Many cases involve professionals, executives, or business owners whose reputations, careers, and families are immediately at risk once an arrest occurs. Palm Beach County prosecutors often rely on digital communications, undercover operations, and task-force coordination to build cases that escalate quickly.

  • Massage parlor and escort-related investigations in Boca Raton and Delray Beach
  • Online solicitation and sting operations involving social and dating platforms
  • Computer crime cases tied to home offices, shared devices, or business systems
  • High-collateral-consequence cases affecting employment and professional licenses

Gonzalez & Waddington represent clients in Palm Beach County with a focus on discretion, evidence control, and long-term consequence management. By stepping in early, the firm works to contain investigations, challenge digital assumptions, and protect clients from charges that can permanently damage their professional and personal lives.

How Gonzalez & Waddington Can Help Across South Florida

Across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, serious criminal cases often begin with everyday scenarios that people do not recognize as high-risk until it is too late. Responding to an online advertisement, visiting a massage parlor while traveling, engaging in app-based conversations, or using a shared device can quickly lead to arrest, device seizure, and life-altering charges. Gonzalez & Waddington provide trial-focused criminal defense across South Florida, intervening early to stop damaging statements, limit evidence exposure, and challenge aggressive enforcement tactics. If you are under investigation or facing charges in South Florida, call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 to get informed guidance before early mistakes define the outcome of your case.

What should I do if I am under criminal investigation in Florida and have not been arrested yet?

If you believe you are under investigation, you should avoid speaking with law enforcement or anyone else about the situation and consult a criminal defense lawyer immediately. Early legal guidance can help protect your rights, preserve evidence, and sometimes prevent charges from being filed at all.

Do I have to talk to the police in Florida if they want to question me?

You generally have the right to remain silent and do not have to answer questions beyond identifying yourself in certain circumstances. Politely asserting your right to remain silent and asking for a lawyer is often the safest course of action.

What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor under Florida law?

Misdemeanors are less serious offenses and typically carry shorter jail sentences and smaller fines, while felonies involve more serious allegations that can result in state prison time and long-term consequences. Felony convictions can also impact civil rights, employment, and professional licenses.

Can a criminal case in Florida be dismissed before going to trial?

Yes, cases can be dismissed for a variety of reasons, including lack of evidence, illegal searches, procedural violations, or successful pretrial motions filed by the defense. An experienced defense attorney evaluates these issues early to challenge weak or unlawful prosecutions.

How can a criminal defense lawyer help me beyond just going to trial?

A criminal defense lawyer provides guidance at every stage of the case, including investigations, bail hearings, negotiations, motion practice, and mitigation. Many cases are resolved through strategic advocacy long before a jury is ever selected.

Pro Tips

  • Act early and assume everything you say can be used against you. The moment you suspect you are under investigation, stop discussing the situation with anyone other than your lawyer, including friends, family, and coworkers, because informal statements often become evidence.
  • Do not consent to searches of your phone, vehicle, or home without a warrant. Many Florida criminal cases hinge on search and seizure issues, and consenting can eliminate powerful constitutional defenses before your lawyer ever gets involved.
  • Preserve evidence immediately. Save text messages, emails, call logs, social media activity, location data, and any documents that may later support your version of events, because this information can disappear or be overwritten quickly.
  • Take bond and pretrial conditions seriously. Violating release conditions, even unintentionally, can lead to re-arrest, new charges, and a judge viewing you as unreliable or noncompliant.
  • Avoid trying to explain or fix the situation on your own. Direct contact with alleged witnesses, victims, or law enforcement can be misinterpreted as intimidation or obstruction, even if your intent is innocent.
  • Choose a defense lawyer who regularly handles cases like yours in Florida courts. Criminal law is highly procedural, and experience with local judges, prosecutors, and enforcement agencies can significantly affect charging decisions, negotiations, and outcomes.

Official Information & Guidance

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Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer for Sex Crimes, Computer Crimes, and Federal Charges

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If you are being investigated or charged with a serious offense in Florida, waiting to act can permanently limit your options. Florida criminal cases involving sex crimes, computer crimes, or federal exposure are often shaped long before trial by early statements and digital evidence. Gonzalez & Waddington defend high-stakes Florida criminal cases with a trial-focused strategy designed to challenge evidence and control the narrative from the start. Call Gonzalez & Waddington at 1-800-921-8607 to get informed guidance before critical decisions are made.