All forms of prostitution are prohibited in the State of California. The statutory scheme distinguishes between penalties for the sex workers that engage in prostitution, the customers that solicit their services, and those who facilitate the transaction.
If you were arrested or charged with any crime related to prostitution, then contact the criminal defense attorneys at Ticket Crushers. Defenses for crimes of prostitution and solicitation including a showing of insufficient evidence, mistake or entrapment.
Because merely offering or agreeing to engage in the conduct is a crime, officers in San Francisco often set up elaborate sting operations to manufacture the criminal offense.
Attorney for Crimes of Prostitution in San Francisco, CA
Under California law, prostitution is prohibited under Penal Code Section 647(b). Prohibited conduct under the statute includes both engaging in the act of prostitution, and offering or agreeing to engage in prostitution (which is often called “solicitation”).
California law also prohibits facilitating the transaction by participating in soliciting the agreement, receiving part or all of a prostitute’s pay, or participating in procuring the prostitute. Pimping and pandering crimes are set out in California’s Penal Code Sections 266(h) and 266(i). It is also a crime under Penal Code Section 653.23 to be “supervising or aiding” a prostitute.
If you were arrested for any type of prostitution or solicitation crime in San Francisco, CA, then contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at Ticket Crushers. Call us to discuss the case, possible defenses that might apply, and the best way to aggressively fight the charges. Call 1 (866) 842-5384 today.
Penalties for Prostitution in California
In California, the crime of prostitution or solicitation is charged as a misdemeanor. For a first offense for prostitution or solicitation, the possible penalties include up to six (6) months in county jail and/or a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000).
California law defines “prostitution” to mean engaging in sexual intercourse or any lewd act with another person in exchange for money or other consideration. “Soliciting” means to lure, or to try to induce or elicit.
In many cases, prostitution charges are reduced to a less serious offense, such as disturbing the peace under California’s Penal Code Section 415 or Criminal Trespass under Penal Code Section 602.
Sexually Motivated Crimes in California
Our attorneys for prostitution crimes in San Francisco, CA, represent clients on a wide variety of criminal offenses including:
- Loitering: For Prostitution (Pen. Code § 653.22(a))
- Prostitution: Engaging in Act (Pen. Code § 647(b))
- Prostitution: Soliciting Another (Pen. Code § 647(b))
- Prostitution: Agreeing to Engage in Act (Pen. Code § 647(b))
- Pimping (Pen. Code § 266(h))
- Pandering (Pen. Code § 266(i))
- Child Procurement (Pen. Code § 266(j))
Other offenses related to prostitution or solicitation include:
- California Penal Code §§ 266(h) and 266(i) for pimping and pandering
- Penal Code § 647(a) for lewd conduct in public
- Penal Code § 653.23 for supervising or aiding a prostitute
- Penal Code § 653.22 for loitering to commit prostitution
- Penal Code § 314 for indecent exposure laws
- Penal Code § 261 for rape
