Virginia Prostitution Lawyer
Let us fight your criminal prostitution charge in court. As a Virginia prostitution lawyer, I have defended clients in the Virginia courts. Call me to discuss your prostitution criminal case
read below important information related to penalties & defense of criminal prostitution:
What Is Prostitution
Virginia defines prostitution and its penalties in 18.2-346.
Under this section, prostitution is defined as any performance of the many listed sex acts for money or some stand-in for money
The stand-in is usually drugs or some service in exchange for the sex.
Prostitution is a serious crime in Virginia and needs to be treated as such.
If you are facing prostitution charges in Virginia, get an experienced Virginia prostitution lawyer from American Lawyers Group.
In Virginia, prostitution is the performance or solicitation of sexual acts for money or some stand-in for money.
This stand-in is usually a drug or some service in exchange.
The crime of performing prostitution is a class 1 misdemeanor. Like other class 1 misdemeanors, prostitution is punishable with up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
The greater crime is soliciting prostitution. Soliciting prostitution normally is also a class 1 misdemeanor.
However, soliciting prostitution of a minor 16 or older is a class 6 felony.
Class 5 felonies are punishable with 1 to 5 years in prison and a fine up to $2,500.
Soliciting prostitution of a minor under the age of 16 is a class 5 felony.
This greater offense is punishable with a maximum of 10 years in prison or 1 year and a $2,500 fine.
You do not need to actually have any kind of sexual interaction to be convicted of soliciting a prostitute; simply trying is enough for a conviction.
When prostitution crosses state lines, it becomes a federal crime with steeper fines and up to ten years in prison.
Penalties for Prostitution
As mentioned above, there are various ways Virginia punishes prostitution and crimes related to prostitution.
The actual sexual acts in exchange for money or something similar is punished as a class 1 misdemeanor.
Soliciting those acts are similarly charged as a class 1 misdemeanor.
However, “pimping” also known as “pandering” is a class 4 felony that must be punished with a minimum of two years of jail time and a maximum of ten years in prison
Federal Prostitution Issues
Prostitution, like most crimes, is handled at a state level the majority of the time.
However, when the functions of prostitution become human trafficking across state lines it enters federal jurisdiction.
Congress passes laws around sex trafficking and prostitution such as the Mann Act through its Commerce Clause power in the U.S.
Constitution. Additionally, 13th Amendment issues arise with sex trafficking considered slavery.
This is why sex trafficking rings can be enforced and investigated by well-funded well-staffed federal agencies such as the FBI.
When federal law enforcement investigates and prosecute, they will act more fiercely than state and local law enforcement.
Federal penalties tend to be much harsher than state penalties and will have to be litigated in Federal Courts such as in the Federal District Court of Alexandria for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Defenses to Prostitution
The classic way that charges of prostitution are charged is the sting. Stings for prostitution are when police go undercover as prostitutes.
If the charge is brought from the police inducing the solicitation of prostitution, you may be able to show entrapment.
Entrapment is illegal and the subsequent arrest can be as well.
It is difficult to show, as your attorney must show that the police actions induced the solicitation of prostitution rather than your intent to solicit prostitution.
Coercion is another defense that a skilled lawyer can use in a Virginia Prostitution case.
If you were forced into the act of prostitution, you may have a defense from prosecution.
Additionally, prostitution charges can be attacked on the evidence.
Criminal prosecutions have to reach the high standard of beyond a reasonable doubt to become a conviction.
A skilled Virginia prostitution lawyer can attack the weakness of evidence if possible to make it harder for the prosecution to meet this burden.
Why You Need a Virginia Prostitution Lawyer?
Virginia and the federal government take prostitution and sex trafficking incredibly seriously, as they should.
This leads to aggressive investigations and prosecution.
Charges of prostitution can be embarrassing, humiliating, costly, and time-consuming when you face them.
You need an attorney who understands how to navigate the Virginia court system and possibly the federal court system to most effectively put up a strong defense for you.
You need an attorney who can help fend off prostitution charges by attacking the prosecution’s evidence and arguments.
You can get an experienced Virginia prostitution lawyer at American Lawyers Group
