California’s laws regarding paying for sexual services, or selling one’s body, aren’t kind given the widespread problem many cities have with child sex slaves. Prostitution laws vary depending on what position you’re assuming in the transaction and gradually increase as more convictions pile onto one’s record. Having a skilled prostitution attorney is one invaluable resource persons accused of buying or selling sexual services should tap into.
Okabe & Haushalter defends persons accused of prostitution in California. Because law enforcement is notorious for entrapping persons, and prosecution often lacks substantial evidence to sway juries to convict, it’s completely possible to have these charges dismissed.
It’s important to invoke your Fifth Amendment rights to silence should an arrest occur. The same goes for questioning prior to arrest. One can easily incriminate themselves without knowing it, so stay silent.
It’s illegal to sell oneself to someone in exchange for money in California. Moreover, it’s against the law to pay someone money in exchange for sexual favors. Regardless which you’ve been accused of, you’ll be facing six (6) months in county jail, $1,000 in fines, license suspension if an incident occurred inside a vehicle or within 1,000 of a residence, and possible sex offender registration.
For prosecutors to prove one paid for or offered sex illegally, evidence that money changed hands with the sole intention of receiving physical gratification must exist. Many times, this evidence doesn’t exist unless caught on hotel or street surveillance, which is why an experienced Palo Alto prostitution attorney should be hired before questioning.
Then there’s the infamous ‘police sting’. Male officers will pose as ‘Johns’ or female officers will dress as prostitutes while wearing wires. They’ll set up fake advertisements with fictitious names on sites like the Back page or Craigslist. Once someone agrees to meet at the hotel, and cash has changed hands, police will swoop in and arrest the person paying or offering sex. It may seem like entrapment, but it’s procedurally admissible in court.
Coercing individuals to pay money, or asking them specific questions like, “Is this cash for sex?” may get cases dismissed if one refuses to agree specifically to sexual acts. As massages are perfectly legal, one simply needs to prove that they’re licensed to give massages and the transaction was for such.
Protecting the rights of wrongly accused persons, or those needing lesser charges is what our Palo Alto prostitution attorney does well. Highly respected in many legal circles, Okabe & Haushalter understands that not all prostitution charges will net convictions due to flawed prosecution or simple arrest errors like failing to Mirandize.
Our firm has one goal: defending the accused at whatever capacity is necessary to assure justice is served equally. Guilty or not, suspects have rights.
Find yourself charged with prostitution, but aren’t sure where to turn? The first thing to remember is Okabe & Haushalter cares about making sure charges have substantiation. Our Palo Alto prostitution attorney awaits your call when only skilled representation will do.
