Prostitution & Solicitation Issues

Law enforcement in the Los Angeles area has specific task forces dedicated to the arrest and conviction of those who engage in prostitution or solicitation. They engage in a variety of "sting" operations to catch those who are offering sexual services for money, or for those who are trying to engage the services of a prostitute.

 

When one has been arrested and charged with this crime, it is critical that you get legal representation from a qualified lawyer to assist you in fighting the charge. As California law makes it possible to "enhance" penalties for repeat offenders, this is particularly important if you have a prior criminal record. At the California Justice Law Group, the legal team is prepared to aggressively defend any client charged with prostitution or solicitation charges. The firm has a successful track record with defending this charge and will fight for you relentlessly.

 

It is important that your criminal defense lawyer is extremely familiar with the criminal court system and its personnel, as when making negotiations on behalf of the client, it helps when you have dealt with the prosecutor involved on many occasions. The attorney then knows the general tone of the prosecutor and can act accordingly when in situations in which a reduced charge or plea bargaining situation becomes necessary.

 

The criminal defense lawyer from the California Justice Law Group is involved with criminal defense as the primary activity and spends a majority of time dealing with the criminal court system. You can rest assured that your case will be made a priority and that every effort will be made to defend your case. You will be given the respect and dedicated attention that is deserved.

 

No crime of prostitution, solicitation and pandering are the same, each case is different. As they might be similar, it ultimately depends on the evidence. In a Penal Code 647 prostitution case, prosecutors must prove that at least one the following elements exist:

 

Solicitation from one party to the other for an act of prostitution

The agreement to commit an act of prostitution

Actually commit an act of prostitution

Solicitation of lewd conduct

A Prosecutors job is to prove there was an arrangement to engage in an act of prostitution. They usually gain proof with a recorded conversation between an undercover police officer and the accused. If they cannot produce a recording of the conversation, the arrangement may be difficult to prove. If the accused has no money at the time of arrest, the prosecution may have a difficult time proving there was specific intent to engage in an act of prostitution.

 

There is a misconception that one can't be charged with prostitution "Penal Code 647" if there is no physical act of prostitution. If you organize, coordinate or participate in Internet prostitution in California you may be charged and then arrested for prostitution per "Penal Code 647". California prostitution laws are being broken when you receive or give money for sex via the Internet. In the eyes of the law, it is still prostitution.

 

Crimes of prostitution on the Internet range from a misdemeanor to a felony. It can be categorized as soliciting for sex, pandering for prostitution and even disorderly conduct. These offenses have the power to dramatically change a person's life. In California both the "John and Prostitute" are prosecuted, one is not seen as the lesser of the two.

 

The charge of PC 647 is a serious criminal offense. Being convicted of prostitution is punishable by, fines, jail time, and a criminal record. If convicted for a PC 647 you may lose your employment and the embarrassing loss of friends, family and your reputation. We represent many clients with prostitution related charges and have obtained many favorable results. We handle all types of cases and many of them have resulted in not guilty verdicts. Even if you are only being investigated for prostitution, it could eventually turn into a formal charge of PC 647 and land you in jail.

 

Cal Trans – Public or Community Service

Incarceration in county Jail or State Prison

Probation

Counseling

Fines & Penalties

AIDS Testing

Public humiliation

Loss of employment

Vehicle Forfeiture

Do no bail out, but instead contact our office immediately. The lawyers at the California Justice Law Group will quickly and aggressively act to preserve any evidence that can be extremely valuable to your defense. Instead of paying for bail, we can secure an O. R. own recognizance or "O.R." (or "supervised O.R."). This means that you do not have to pay bail because the judge believes that you will show up for your court appearances without bail.

 

If you are arrested, the first thing you should do is to politely decline to say anything other than that you would like to speak to your attorney. You should immediately seek council of a California criminal defense attorney. Your attorney can then examine the case, look at the evidence, evaluate the witnesses, and work with you to structure your defense.

 

Even though prostitution is a misdemeanor, a conviction can be devastating. A sex related criminal record can damage a person's career and family life. If you are facing prostitution or solicitation of prostitution in California, you need an aggressive, experienced, and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney. At the law offices of California Justice Law Group, our focus it to find the weaknesses in a prosecutor's case while protecting your Constitutional rights.

 

Prosecutors in California have declared war on prostitution. They are extremely aggressive and have expanded the scope to include a special Internet Crimes Division to oversee the aggressive prosecution of Internet prostitution, solicitation and pandering. The authorities have developed a strategic and highly skilled approach to collect data on those that attempt to commit crimes of solicitation and prostitution. They are targeting people in the following ways.

 

Recently the police have been on sites such as Craig's List.org, That Mall.com, CityVibe.com, and others to induce males into having massages and/or erotic contact. Once on the phone, the "undercover prostitute", immediately starts talking about sexual acts in exchange for money. People think that a Police officer must be honest when asked direct questions. Police officers do not have to be honest. California Prostitution laws state that anyone that makes an agreement with another to have sexual conduct or engage in prostitution maybe guilty of solicitation of prostitution, a misdemeanor.

 

Other tactics include sites such as Craig's List.org, That Mall.com, CityVibe.com – Stating "companionship" or "escort" services. There are websites that offer services that are legal, however, the problem is when the offers of sex are made as well as when solicited as part of the escort services. The target of the regular sting operations are the owners and operators of escort services and massage parlors.

 

Many of arrests are made weekly by undercover police officers posing as John's. These are your typical old fashion sting operation involving women undercover police officers. These undercover police officers act as prostitutes and lure drivers to stop and talk, and get them to agree to buy sex from them.