Prostitution-Related Offenses
Beverly Hills Sex Crime Attorney
Charged with a prostitution-related offense? Prostitution is engaging in a sexual act in exchange for money, goods or services. Under California law (Penal Code 647(b) PC), you can be penalized for prostituting, engaging in an act of prostitution (soliciting) or arranging prostitution (pandering/pimping).
The crime of prostitution or solicitation is a misdemeanor. It is punishable by up to six months in county jail and/or a fine of $1,000. If you have been charged with prostitution or solicitation, defenses that could be available to you include the following:
- Entrapment
- Insufficient evidence
- Lack of evidence
- Mistake
Prostitution
If you engaged in an act of prostitution willfully, you could be convicted of this crime. Even if you just agreed to go along with an act of prostitution you can be charged with “agreeing to engage in an act of prostitution.” Anything from your attire to possession of condoms to possession of large amounts of money or a client book could be used by the prosecution against you.
You can also be charged under Penal Code 653.22 PC with “loitering to commit prostitution” if you were loitering in a public place with the intent of engaging in prostitution. Prosecutors may try to point out that you were waving at cars or appearing to look for customers. This is a misdemeanor crime punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Solicitation
If you solicited another person and with the specific intent of engaging in an act of prostitution, you could be convicted of solicitation. You can also be charged with attempted solicitation which comes with a three month jail sentence and a fine of $500.
Prostitution, Solicitation & Agreeing to Engage in An Act of Prostitution
Prostitution, solicitation and agreeing to engage in an act of prostitution are all misdemeanor offenses. Prostitution is a priorable offense which means that if you have a previous conviction that judge will sentence you to a minimum of 45 days in jail.
If you are convicted of a third prostitution or solicitation offense you will receive a minimum sentence of 90 days in jail. If you committed a prostitution-related offense while using a car or within 1,000 feet of a residence, the court can suspend your driver’s license for 30 days or issue you a restricted license for six months.
Pimping/Pandering
The definition of pimping is “when someone provides someone as a prostitute.” The definition of pandering is “when someone solicits customers for a prostitute.” The two crimes often go hand-in-hand. Pimping or pandering is when an individual collects all or part of a prostitute’s pay in exchange for finding the prostitute customers. If you recruited or encouraged someone to become a prostitute, you could be guilty of the crime of pimping. California Penal Code 266h and 266i PC discusses the crime of pandering/pimping.
Pimping and pandering are both felonies and if you are convicted of one of these crimes, you could face three to six years in state prison. You can also be charged with “supervising or aiding a prostitute” under Penal Code 653.23. An example of this would be if you drove a friend to a place where they wanted to hire a prostitute. This is a misdemeanor offense that is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine up to $1,000.
Lewd conduct in public is also often charged in correlation with a prostitution-related offense. Lewd conduct is a less serious offense and isn’t priorable like prostitution charges.
Get Your Charges Dismissed or Reduced!
A good criminal defense attorney will do everything possible to have your charges dismissed, if he/she cannot secure this, he/she will fight for a reduction of charges. There is a chance your charge could be reduced to California Penal Code 415 PC Disturbing the Peace or California Penal Code 602 PC Criminal Trespass.
If a police officer applied pressure, harassment, fraud, flattery or threats to entrap you into committing an offense, your charges can be dismissed or reduced. Lately police have been using advertising on sites such as Craig’s List to get a response from individuals. Sometimes, however, people are simply looking for a lawful message or casual contact.
Don’t be forced to pay a hefty fine, spend time in jail or prison, have to undergo AIDS testing or lose your driving privileges! By securing the legal representation of Attorney Peter Berlin, you can be confident that you are hiring a compassionate friend and an aggressive advocate who will stay by your side throughout the entire duration of your case. Contact the Law Office of Peter Berlin today and get an attorney on your side that will investigate every aspect of your case and craft the most compelling defense possible!