We Vigorously Defend Prostitution Related Charges

While escort services and prostitution has flourished with the growth of the internet, prostitution and related crimes have been around for centuries before the dawn of the computer. You don't have to look very far to see that law enforcement vice-squads, prosecutors, and the United States Attorney's Office, aggressively investigates and prosecutes prostitution and related offenses. As a result, lives and families are devastated as loved ones are incarcerated or humiliated. The attorneys at The Spitz Law Firm have extensive experience not only defending these claims, but also working to maintain the privacy and reduce public exposure as much as possible.

Your prostitution defense attorneys know that, at a minimum, those involved in the prostitution, "johns", madams, prostitutes, pimps, call girls, phone operators, money collectors and anyone else who sets up, establishes, or assists in the service, may be charged with several crimes due to their direct involvement or because they were acting as an accomplice. Below is a list of the primary prostitution-related crimes in the State of Ohio:

• Compelling Prostitution


• Procuring


• Soliciting; after positive HIV test (driver's license suspension)


• Loitering to engage in solicitation; solicitation after positive HIV test


• Prostitution; after positive HIV test


• Promoting Prostitution

Arrested for Solicitation/Prostitution?: Typically, escort services advertise in the Yellow Pages, newspapers, magazines, and much more frequently of late, on the Internet. True escort services are legal. It is entirely legal for one to pay another to accompany them and spend time with them. The legal troubles arise when offers of sex are made or solicited.

Many times, criminal charges against the owners, operators, employees and independent contractors associated with an "escort service" result from an undercover investigation wherein undercover officers acting as customers are offered sexual favors for additional fees. "Johns" are typically arrested when they show up at a hotel to meet who they believe is a prostitute but who in fact is an undercover officer. Your criminal defense attorney at The Spitz Law firm is skilled in defending all prostitution, sex offense, money laundering, rape and other related charges.

Arrested for Procuring?: Owners and operators of Escort Services can face a wide range of criminal charges. Claims by owners and/or managers that they didn't approve of and/or were not aware of sexual acts committed by the escorts many times fail because the government can show that the owners and/or managers (1) kept records of customers' sexual preferences; (2) kept records of customers sexually transmitted diseases; (3) advised the escorts on how to avoid and treat infections caused by frequent use of lubricated condoms; (4) advised the escorts on methods by which they could continue working while menstruating; and (5) instructed them on how to identify undercover police officers. Owners and operators often face other charges including money laundering and Falsifying Business Records.

Regardless of your level of involvement in a prostitution-related offense or the magnitude of the organization you are alleged to be involved in, not taking the charges seriously or retaining an inexperienced attorney can magnify your problems considerably. Your criminal defense attorney at The Spitz Law Firm is not only ready to aggressively fight on your behalf, but is available day or night. Your team of lawyers will work to zealously protect your rights, freedom and good name.

Call The Right Prostitution Defense Attorney 24/7 At: 1-888-70-RIGHT or (216) 291-4744

Below is the statutory language in Ohio for each of these offenses:

Compelling Prostitution: (A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Compel another to engage in sexual activity for hire; (2) Induce, procure, encourage, solicit, request, or otherwise facilitate either of the following: (a) A minor to engage in sexual activity for hire, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor; (b) A person the offender believes to be a minor to engage in sexual activity for hire, whether or not the person is a minor. (3)(a) Pay or agree to pay a minor, either directly or through the minor's agent, so that the minor will engage in sexual activity, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor; (b) Pay or agree to pay a person the offender believes to be a minor, either directly or through the person's agent, so that the person will engage in sexual activity, whether or not the person is a minor. (4)(a) Pay a minor, either directly or through the minor's agent, for the minor having engaged in sexual activity pursuant to a prior agreement, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor; (b) Pay a person the offender believes to be a minor, either directly or through the person's agent, for the person having engaged in sexual activity pursuant to a prior agreement, whether or not the person is a minor. (5)(a) Allow a minor to engage in sexual activity for hire if the person allowing the child to engage in sexual activity for hire is the parent, guardian, custodian, person having custody or control, or person in loco parentis of the minor; (b) Allow a person the offender believes to be a minor to engage in sexual activity for hire if the person allowing the person to engage in sexual activity for hire is the parent, guardian, custodian, person having custody or control, or person in loco parentis of the person the offender believes to be a minor, whether or not the person is a minor. (B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of compelling prostitution. Except as otherwise provided in this division, compelling prostitution is a felony of the third degree. If the offender commits a violation of division (A)(1) of this section and the person compelled to engage in sexual activity for hire in violation of that division is less than sixteen years of age, compelling prostitution is a felony of the second degree. If the offender in any case also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification as described in section 2941.1422 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging the offense, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term as provided in division (D)(7) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code and shall order the offender to make restitution as provided in division (B)(8) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code.

Procuring: A) No person, knowingly and for gain, shall do either of the following: (1) Entice or solicit another to patronize a prostitute or brothel; (2) Procure a prostitute for another to patronize, or take or direct another at his or her request to any place for the purpose of patronizing a prostitute. (B) No person, having authority or responsibility over the use of premises, shall knowingly permit such premises to be used for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity for hire. (C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of procuring, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Loitering to Engage in Solicitation; Solicitation after positive HIV test: (A) No person, with purpose to solicit another to engage in sexual activity for hire and while in or near a public place, shall do any of the following: (1) Beckon to, stop, or attempt to stop another; (2) Engage or attempt to engage another in conversation; (3) Stop or attempt to stop the operator of a vehicle or approach a stationary vehicle; (4) If the offender is the operator of or a passenger in a vehicle, stop, attempt to stop, beckon to, attempt to beckon to, or entice another to approach or enter the vehicle of which the offender is the operator or in which the offender is the passenger; (5) Interfere with the free passage of another. (B) No person, with knowledge that the person has tested positive as a carrier of a virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, shall engage in conduct in violation of division (A) of this section. (C) As used in this section: (1) "Vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code. (2) "Public place" means any of the following: (a) A street, road, highway, thoroughfare, bikeway, walkway, sidewalk, bridge, alley, alleyway, plaza, park, driveway, parking lot, or transportation facility; (b) A doorway or entrance way to a building that fronts on a place described in division (C)(2)(a) of this section; (c) A place not described in division (C)(2)(a) or (b) of this section that is open to the public. (D)(1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of loitering to engage in solicitation, a misdemeanor of the third degree. (2) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of loitering to engage in solicitation after a positive HIV test. If the offender commits the violation prior to July 1, 1996, loitering to engage in solicitation after a positive HIV test is a felony of the fourth degree. If the offender commits the violation on or after July 1, 1996, loitering to engage in solicitation after a positive HIV test is a felony of the fifth degree.

Prostitution; after positive HIV test: (A) No person shall engage in sexual activity for hire. (B) No person, with knowledge that the person has tested positive as a carrier of a virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, shall engage in sexual activity for hire. (C)(1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of prostitution, a misdemeanor of the third degree. (2) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of engaging in prostitution after a positive HIV test. If the offender commits the violation prior to July 1, 1996, engaging in prostitution after a positive HIV test is a felony of the second degree. If the offender commits the violation on or after July 1, 1996, engaging in prostitution after a positive HIV test is a felony of the third degree.

Promoting Prostitution (A) No person shall knowingly: (1) Establish, maintain, operate, manage, supervise, control, or have an interest in a brothel; (2) Supervise, manage, or control the activities of a prostitute in engaging in sexual activity for hire; (3) Transport another, or cause another to be transported across the boundary of this state or of any county in this state, in order to facilitate the other person's engaging in sexual activity for hire; (4) For the purpose of violating or facilitating a violation of this section, induce or procure another to engage in sexual activity for hire. (B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of promoting prostitution. Except as otherwise provided in this division, promoting prostitution is a felony of the fourth degree. If any prostitute in the brothel involved in the offense, or the prostitute whose activities are supervised, managed, or controlled by the offender, or the person transported, induced, or procured by the offender to engage in sexual activity for hire, is a minor, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor, then promoting prostitution is a felony of the third degree. If the offender in any case also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification as described in section 2941.1422 of the Revised Code that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging the offense, the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory prison term as provided in division (D)(7) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code and shall order the offender to make restitution as provided in division (B)(8) of section 2929.18 of the Revised Code.