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Did you know that even if a person doesn’t actually go through with the sexual act, they can still be charged with a sex crime? All it takes for a person to face criminal charges is evidence that they intended to commit the crime.
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Get StartedDefinition of Solicitation of Prostitution in AZ
Under Phoenix City Code § 23-5, solicitation of prostitution is defined as anyone who offers to, agrees to, or commits an act of prostitution, or solicits or hires another person to commit an act of prostitution.
To solicit is to entice, urge, or induce another person to engage in prostitution. This means two things:
- Intent to engage in prostitution, and
- Acting in furtherance of the action
Examples of actions that may suggest that a person attempted to engage in prostitution may include driving to a motel or hotel where the sex act will take place or withdrawing money from an ATM to pay for the transaction. Even circling through an area that is known for prostitution or inviting a prostitute into your vehicle can result in criminal charges for solicitation of prostitution. Police regularly conduct sting operations to make prostitution arrests.
Lawyer Near Me 602-682-5270Penalties for Solicitation of Prostitution
Solicitation of prostitution can be charged as a class one misdemeanor.
If you are convicted of soliciting prostitution in Phoenix, you will face:
- A minimum of 15 days in jail for your first offense
- A minimum of 30 days in jail for your second offense
- A minimum of 60 days in jail for your third offense
- A minimum of 6 months in jail for your fourth offense
You may also face a $2,500 fine and up to three years of probation if you are convicted. Some cities will even go so far as to publish the offender’s name and photo in the local newspaper. Don’t let a sex crime conviction ruin your reputation; partner with a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer at Suzuki Law Offices after your arrest. We may be able to assert a number of legal defenses on your behalf, depending on the specific facts of your case, so please do not wait to give us a call.
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Contact Suzuki Law Offices for Your Free Consultation
Are you ready to discuss your options with an attorney at Suzuki Law Offices? If so, we encourage you to contact our office today. We take calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and offer free consultations to all potential clients, so you would have nothing to lose by taking the first step. The sooner you act, the sooner we can get started on your defense.
Just because you have been charged with solicitation of prostitution does not mean you are guilty. In fact, there are a number of potential defenses that can be asserted in such cases. The prosecution must be able to establish that you engaged in or intended to engage in an act of prostitution by means of solicitation, but the notion of “intent” can vary greatly.
For example, if you jokingly yelled out “hey baby, how much?” to a prostitute or undercover police officer while driving around in your car, this does not necessarily equal intent. The prosecution must be able to show that you were serious about soliciting sex for money.
There are a number of other defenses to a solicitation charge, which include:
- Insufficient evidence that establishes intent
- Entrapment by an undercover police officer
- Procedural errors made by the arresting officer
- Police mistakenly arrest the wrong person
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