[stuartcr]

So someone that molests lewdly, should get the same punishment, as someone that rapes? I doubt then, that anyone would stop at just molesting.

[robertpaulsen]

"So someone that molests lewdly, should get the same punishment, as someone that rapes? "

Under this law, technically, yes, though the prosecutor has latitude as to what is actually charged. A lewd molestation could turn into "inappropriate touching" for a cooperative, first-time, repentant offender. A rape of a child under 14 is hard to plead down.