This blog expands and highlights some of the statutory penalties as well as definitions relating to prostitution, solicitation, procuring and pandering for prostitution.
Prostitution is generally defined as exchange of sexual act or contact in return for money.
The elements of the crime require meeting of minds. That is there must be some basic agreement offering money for sex. Often times the solicitation or prostitution charges are brought via under cover sting operation.
In these operations, the decoy (police officer) entices solicitation and as soon as an agreement in principle is made to exchange money for sex, the back up team moves in for an arrest. However, often times the transaction is not legally complete, or the exchange is not sufficiently concrete meeting the elements of the crime.
These arrests are nevertheless made, and charges brought. The courtroom aspect of the case can also be complicated as the complaining witness is generally the police office. There are no other witnesses to collaborate either testimony. So the trial by judge would be basically a credibility contest between the police officer and the defendant (“john”).
Thus these cases require particularly higher levels of litigation skills and painstaking attention to details and a thorough cross examination of the police officer and his record in the police force, if applicable
Solicitation is generally defined as inviting, enticing, offering, persuading, or agreeing to engage in prostitution. The statute criminalizes both prostitution and solicitation the same.
For the first offense, fines of not more than $500 and imprisonment of not more than 90 days. Second offense doubles the fine and imprisonment period. Anything over two convictions, fines of not more than $4000 and not more than two years of imprisonment.
Arranging for prostitution, procuring and receiving money or valuable items for such arrangement or causing one to engage in prostitution or sexual act is a felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment and not more than $5000 in fines. In an event the individual in under age of 18, the imprisonment period and fines will significantly increase — not more than 20 years and fines not more than $20,000.
Pandering, inducing and forcing an individual to engage in prostitution are all also a felony. This particular statute addresses causing or compelling or placing an individual in other’s custody for purpose of prostitution.
Additionally, causing or compelling one to reside in house of prostitution or even marrying an individual with force listed under this statute as well. Violation of the pandering statute is punishable by fines of not more than $5000.00 and imprisonment of not more than five years and again significantly higher if the victim is less than 18.
Contact our Washington DC Criminal Lawyer/DC Sexual Solicitation Lawyer today to schedule your case evaluation.
Refer to our DC Sexual Solicitation Lawyer page for more information on this subject.