Solicitation of Prostitution Defense Lawyer Los Angeles
Solicitation of prostitution is a common offense in Los Angeles. All too often, people plead guilty to a solicitation of prostitution offense without contacting a qualified criminal defense attorney before. If you have been charged with solicitation of prostitution, please contact The Law Offices of Jerod Gunsberg for a free, confidential consultation to evaluate your options. We will give you an honest assessment of your case with no obligation to retain our services.
Solicitation of Prostitution Arrests in L.A.: How it Works
LAPD Vice Units regularly use “decoys” to pose as prostitutes to lure unsuspecting customers into arrest. Another common trap occurs in massage parlors. A customer goes into a massage parlor and is ensnared by a “masseuse” who is actually an undercover cop. Often people are arrested even if they had no intent to engage in act of prostitution. The truth of the matter is this: Whether you are guilty or innocent, the police will arrest anyone who comes into contact with their undercover operation. This is why it is important to have an experienced criminal defense attorney to fight your solicitation of prostitution charge in court. Whatever the circumstances, The Law Offices of Jerod Gunsberg are experienced in these cases and will help you either by fighting your case all the way to trial or resolving the case with minimal consequences.
Requirements for a Solicitation of Prostitution Conviction
You can be convicted for Solicitation of Prostitution if the prosecution proves that:
- You requested or asked someone else to engage in prostitution. Prostitution is defined as engaging in sexual intercourse or a lewd act in exchange for money or some other form of payment. Touching the genitals or another part of the body for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal qualifies as a lewd act for the purposes of this section.
- You intended to engage in the act of prostitution with the other person. The government must prove that you meant to follow through with a request to engage in prostitution. For instance, if you were joking around and did not mean what you said, the government would have a difficult time proving that you intended to engage in prostitution.
If there is some question as to whether the other person received your request, the government will also have to prove that the other person in fact received your request. This does not come up frequently.
Most charges for solicitation of prostitution arise from undercover police operations. It is important to know that you can be found guilty of this charge even if the other person (i.e. an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute) does not intend to engage in prostitution. In these types of cases, we can obtain records regarding the undercover investigation that can help in your defense.
Jurors are often bothered by the large amount of resources police agencies pour into these types of sting operations, and by the fact that police agencies generally do a poor job of preserving evidence in these operations. For example, the conversations between undercover officers and suspects are usually transmitted through a wire. However, police agencies do not generally record this information for use in court. Many jurors feel uncomfortable convicting someone without this type of evidence.
Consequences
You may be sentenced to up to six months in jail for this charge. The Judge may also suspend your driver’s license for up to 30 days under some circumstances.
If you have been convicted for this charge in the past, you are facing more serious consequences. A minimum of 45 days in jail are required if you have been convicted once before for this same charge. If you have been convicted two or more times previously for this charge, a minimum of 90 days in jail is required.
Diversion Programs
If this is your first offense and even on repeat offenses, The Law Offices of Jerod Gunsberg may be able to help you to avoid jail time through a diversion program. In a diversion program, our clients agree to attend a “prostitution education class” and possibly additional counseling. After the completion of the program, the charges are dismissed. In the cases of first offenses, this may be a matter of attending one class which lasts a few hours. For repeat offenses, a more intensive program may be required to avoid jail time.
CALL THE LAW OFFICES OF JEROD GUNSBERG AT 310-210-0744 FOR A FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSION OF YOUR SOLICITATION OF PROSTITUTION CASE.