Solicitation for Prostitution

Defending Accusations of Soliciting a Prostitute in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is known for its wild nightlife which includes showgirls, peep shows and other forms of adult entertainment. Some people have a misconception that prostitution is another form of sexual entertainment that is legal in Las Vegas, but solicitation of prostitution is illegal and can carry harsh penalties and consequences upon conviction.

People are arrested on as little evidence as a statement from an alleged victim or witness without any corroboration. It is important to contact a Law Vegas criminal defense attorney if you are accused of soliciting a prostitute.

Las Vegas Solicitation Defense Attorney

Being investigated, accused or charged with a solicitation offense in Las Vegas is nothing less than devastating in terms of the embarrassment and possible lifelong ramifications. If you are charged with soliciting a prostitute, you must seek out an aggressive criminal defense attorney who will fight the charges. At the Law Office of Joel M. Mann, we will defend your rights. Contact our office for a free consultation at (702) 474-6266 for more information on how Joel Mann and assist you with your solicitation case.

Solicitation Information Center

• Definition of Solicitation
• Las Vegas Prostitution Sting Operations
• Penalties for Solicitation
• Defenses to Solicitation Charges
• First Offender Prostitution Program

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Definition of Solicitation

Solicitation falls under an attempt crime under Nevada law. Solicitation of prostitution means offering or agreeing to engage in prostitution or another way of saying it is attempted prostitution.

Even if the actual sexual favors and money were never exchanged, that act of soliciting or trying to arrange for the exchange is illegal because merely asking or accepting an offer to trade sex for something of value qualifies as solicitation under Nevada law.

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Las Vegas Prostitution Sting Operations

Las Vegas is known for sexually explicit entertainment, so several people come every year to party. Specifically, Las Vegas is a prime location for bachelor and bachelorette parties. Because of the saying “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” people are prone to make problematic decisions because the goal is to have a good time. Unfortunately, there are a number of undercover sting operations that operate in major casinos on the strip and even off the strip.

Male undercover officers pose as tourists in bars, lounges, nightclubs trying to find people allegedly willing to offer or agree to pay for sex. Undercover officers can also work in escort services, strip clubs, and massage parlors to find people willing to allegedly pay or agree to pay for sexual favors.

Erotic dancers, escorts, and other types of so-called sex workers are legal, but are often targeted by law enforcement and accused of prostitution-related crimes. Contact a Las Vegas criminal defense attorney if you've been arrested or accused of soliciting a prostitute.

Unfortunately many of the “vice” stings are done without any sort of video or audio recordings and therefore very difficult to hear or see what actually happens.  This means when in trial it is the officer’s word against the alleged prostitute’s word.  It is important to have an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney who is willing to challenge the officers blanket statement that something occurred.

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Penalties for Solicitation

The penalties for solicitation are found in NRS 201.354. Generally solicitation is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $1,000 and/or a maximum of 6 months in jail.

Judges tend to hand down harsher sentences to prostitutes because the person engaging in prostitution is usually a repeat offender. In addition to potential prison sentences those people who are employed as exotic dancers often suffer additional penalties as they will not be able to receive a sheriff’s card if they have a prostitution record.  This means that they will not be able to get a job in a strip club as it is required to have a sheriff’s card to work.

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Defenses to Solicitation Charges

Only an experienced criminal defense lawyer will be able to craft a defense based on the facts of your particular case. However there are a number of common defenses that can be used in most situations:

• The offer or agreement was too ambiguous – Nevada law requires “overt solicitation” which means that there must be a clear agreement to trade money or something else of value for sex or other sexual favors. If there is no clear and obvious agreement then there is insufficient evidence to bring solicitation charge.
• Entrapment – If you are accused of solicitation as part of a sting operation, then entrapment is a valid defense. You would need to talk about all the circumstances with an attorney to see if entrapment could be part of your defenses.
• Mistake – It is possible that the situation was a misunderstanding and there was no real intent to solicit. Usually a solicitation case is based on circumstantial evidence so it is possible to color the facts to make is it seem that solicitation occurred when it really didn’t happen.

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First Offender Prostitution Program

There are a number of options for people who have been arrested for prostitution or solicitation for the first time. Based on the facts of your case, if it does not allow the charges to be completely dismissed, there are alternate plea deals that will lessen the impact to your criminal record.

Most plea deals for solicitation cases include the following requirements:

• Pay a $250 fine or perform 25 hours of community service
• Complete an AIDS awareness class or a prostitution education class
• Stay out of trouble order until the terms of the plea deal are complete

The awareness classes are designed to education people about the health and social problems involved with prostitution. The course lasts all day and usually costs $450, most times you will be able to remove the solicitation charge from your record if you take the class and meet the other conditions of the plea deal.

The class usually held at the Clark County Regional Justice Center one Saturday a month. You can call (702) 229-2251 or (702) 229-2252 to set up an appointment.

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Resources

First Offender Prostitution Program (FOPP) – A one day educational course that talks about the legal, social and health consequences associated with prostitution. This course is located at the Clark County Regional Justice Center.

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Law Office of Joel M. Mann | Nevada Solicitation Defense Attorney

The Law Office of Joel M. Mann has dealt with all categories of sex offenses in Nevada. Joel will guide you through this trying time and help you defend yourself against all levels of accusations. Las Vegas defense attorney, Joel Mann, is experienced at aggressively fighting charges of solicitation in Clark County. If you have been accused of soliciting a prostitute, then contact attorney Joel Mann at (702) 474-6266 for a free consultation.