Dealing With Charges Of Prostitute Solicitation

Being arrested for soliciting a prostitute can be one of the most stressful offenses our clients experienced. Often, our clients are married and they endure the stress of keeping the arrest from their spouse or constantly worrying that their spouse will find out. At Matthew Lopez Law, PLLC, we know it is common to see “facts” in a client’s solicitation report that equate to entrapment. The general scenario is, our clients find someone on back pages or craigslist who is offering a service and have a discussion about it. When our clients meet with the person, they tend to be police officers.

Arizona has mandatory sentencing guidelines for people who are convicted of soliciting a prostitute. For your first conviction, a judge must sentence you to at least one day in jail. If this is your second or third conviction for soliciting a prostitute, a judge must sentence you to several weeks, if not months, in jail. Soliciting a prostitute is not a minor offense. If you are found guilty, you will go to jail. The only question is, for how long?

Is It A Crime If You Pay For Sex?

Yes, if you pay for sex in Arizona, you are breaking the law and the penalties can be severe. While sex between consenting adults is generally legal, when money or other goods are exchanged for sexual acts, it becomes a criminal offense. In Arizona, both prostitution and solicitation charges are taken seriously, with law enforcement actively pursuing cases involving individuals accused of engaging in this illegal activity.

Under Phoenix city ordinances, it is illegal to offer or agree to pay someone for sexual activity. This includes any form of communication, such as an online arrangement or an in-person discussion. If you are arrested for soliciting sex, you could face significant legal consequences. Even for a first offense, Arizona mandates jail time and additional penalties, making it essential to understand the gravity of these charges.

The potential penalties for solicitation charges can vary based on whether it is your first offense or if you have prior convictions. Here are some possible outcomes:

• A minimum of 15 days in jail for a first conviction
• Expensive fines and court fees
• Mandatory participation in an educational or rehabilitation program
• For repeat offenses, longer jail sentences and higher fines

These legal consequences do not end with the possibility of jail time or fines. A conviction can have lasting effects on your reputation, career and personal relationships. For instance, a criminal record can impact your ability to secure certain jobs or maintain professional licenses. Additionally, multiple offenses may result in higher penalties, including a requirement to contribute to Arizona’s human trafficking prevention fund, adding to the financial strain.

If you find yourself facing these serious charges, having a reliable sex crime attorney by your side is crucial. A skilled Matthew Lopez Law, PLLC, sex crime lawyer can work with you to explore your options, challenge the evidence against you and aim for the best possible outcome. By addressing both the legal and personal aspects of the case, we can help reduce the impact on your life.

How We Handle Your Defense

While entrapment is a valid defense to soliciting a prostitute, it is an incredibly complicated defense to devise and must be handled carefully by the most experienced attorneys. To do so, it is important that the attorneys at Matthew Lopez Law get started on your case as quickly as possible to preserve evidence and hold the police accountable. We need to immediately request police reports, phone calls, text messages and schedule interviews with the police officers involved.

Aside from the legal defenses, it is of equal importance that our lawyers work with clients to learn as much personal information about them as possible. Because the court system sees countless prostitute solicitation cases on a daily basis, we need to present why you are different. To do so, we will convey your message to the court by letting them know more information about you – who you are, what kind of work you do, why this was a mistake, why this was out of character for your and most importantly, why this will never happen again. As you can see, defending a client for a prostitution offense requires a law firm to devote a considerable amount of time and effort to provide a client with the best possible defense.

We Protect Your Rights And Reputation

With your life on the line, you need a lawyer you can trust. The prostitution lawyers at our office understand that a criminal conviction could result in not only losing your job but possibly a divorce. At Matthew Lopez Law, we take this seriously and fight relentlessly for our clients facing prostitution charges. Set up a free consultation by using our confidential contact form or calling us at 480-608-9998.