Prostitution

January 25, 2017

What To Do After A Solicitation Or Prostitution Arrest In California?

An arrest for soliciting a prostitute can be a frightening and embarrassing experience. For most people charged with solicitation or prostitution under California Penal Code 647(b), the arrest usually represents their first encounter with the criminal justice system. Consequently, most have a multitude of concerns following their release from police custody with questions ranging from whether their arrest details can be viewed by the public to how their careers or future employment prospects will be impacted if they are convicted.

If you are like most of our clients and have been arrested for the first time in your life on prostitution charges, this article could be of great value to you as it can provide with some insight into what you can expect moving forward and how an experienced Los Angeles prostitution defense lawyer can help you avoid a misdemeanor PC 647(b) conviction.

Prostitution and Solicitation charges in Los Angeles County

April 13, 2010

Three Arrested for Prostitution Charges in Santa Clarita

by Sitkoff & Hanrahan, LLP

Two women and one man were cited for prostitution as a result of a Craigslist posting on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. According to an article by The Signal, the man is 50-years-old. He was arrested and charged with supervising prostitution while the women, ages 46 and 47, were arrested for prostitution.

A lieutenant from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station indicated that the arrests were not connected to a two-year ongoing investigation beginning in 2008 on local illegal massage establishments. The Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Bureau has conducted 58 undercover sting operations at various massage businesses in the area, which resulted in 20 arrests for prostitution and 30 for licensing violations.

In November 2009, as a result of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigation, a multi-agency task force has also targeted 28 massage businesses in Santa Clarita for violations including labor laws, business licensing and violations of the California Penal Code. Seven of the investigated businesses were charged with operating without a license while nine others were in violation of the city’s municipal codes. Numerous others were not in compliance with building and state labor codes and five were ordered to close operations.

Prostitution, Pimping and Solicitation charges in Los Angeles require special attention as these charges can sometimes be based on very broad assumptions. If you are an owner of a massage parlor and have been charged with prostitution, solicitation, pimping or other sex offenses, do not hesitate to talk to an experienced Los Angeles prostitution criminal defense attorney.
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February 11, 2010

Couple Accused of Running Prostitution Ring in Los Angeles and Orange Counties

by Sitkoff & Hanrahan, LLP

A husband and wife were arrested and charged with running a prostitution ring out of two upscale apartment buildings in Pasadena and Irvine, according to a Los Angeles Times news report. The couple allegedly managed about two dozen women, who officials say, charged $200 per hour. In addition to the couple, four other men between the ages of 20 and 45 were also arrested on prostitution charges. The couple is facing charges of pimping and pandering. Officials said they initially suspected that human trafficking was involved, but later discovered that the women were attracted to the Los Angeles and Orange County business because of relatively higher pay.

According to California Penal Code Section 647 (b), committing prostitution means “any lewd act between persons for money or other consideration.” Pandering, defined under Section 266 i of the California Penal Code, is considered to be a crime committed by a pimp – recruiting prostitutes and soliciting customers for prostitution services. If you are convicted of prostitution or pandering, you are looking at significant jail time, probation, community service, AIDS testing, fines, and other penalties.
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September 8, 2009

Twelve Arrested in Orange County on Prostitution Charges

by Sitkoff & Hanrahan, LLP

Eleven women and one man are facing sex crime charges in Orange County after the county’s human trafficking task force raided a chiropractor’s office in Garden Grove, which they say, was a front for a brothel. According to this news report in The Orange County Register, police arrested a 23-year-old man for running the operation and 11 women on prostitution charges. Police say the women are being treated as “victims of human trafficking.” They are also investigating whether the chiropractor, who owns the office, knew about the brothel operations there.

If you have been charged with prostitution or solicitation, the consequences not only pose legal challenges, but are also socially debilitating. An Orange County arrest for prostitution or other sex offenses will inevitably involve an emotional component that often leads to your case being tried in the court of public opinion rather than being decided based on a strict interpretation of California criminal laws.
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