At the Law Offices of Tad Nelson & Associates in Houston, we stand up for the rights of people accused of engaging in prostitution or soliciting a prostitute. Individuals facing such allegations can come from all walks of life and we provide a zealous defense against such criminal charges without judgment.
If you have been arrested for solicitation or prostitution, you may be facing serious penalties and should discuss your situation with a highly skilled criminal defense team as soon as possible. Tad Nelson and Amber Spurlock thoroughly understand how to defend against these charges and will be committed to helping you through every stage of your case for the best result possible.
Nationally Renowned Criminal Defense Team
Attorney and firm founder Tad Nelson has been certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for his skill in criminal law and many national news outlets such as NBC and CNN have relied on his legal opinions for broadcasts regarding complex criminal cases. These are only two of the examples of the national and statewide recognition our firm has received for leadership and excellence in the criminal defense field.
When you select a criminal defense law firm, you want to know you can rely on them to protect your rights and do everything possible under criminal laws to help your case. Please call our firm, as we strive to be the best of the best when it comes to criminal defense in and around the Houston area.
Criminal Penalties for Solicitation and Prostitution
In Texas, exchanging sexual acts for money or anything of value is against the law and can result in charges of prostitution. Solicitation is the criminal act of seeking out someone to engage in prostitution. (Note that solicitation can refer to any criminal act, though it is associated with prostitution in this context).
Both prostitution and solicitation can be charged as Class B misdemeanors for a first offense, which can result in up to three months in jail and a fine of $2,000. If you have prior convictions for prostitution or solicitation, the charges can be increased to Class A misdemeanors or even to felony charges. In addition, if the person solicited was under age 18, you can face 3rd-degree felony charges.
About Solicitation and Prostitution Charges
If you’re accused of solicitation or prostitution, you may think you have no options to defend yourself. These cases can be more complicated than they seem, but our experienced lawyers has many ways to defend against such charges.
Solicitation
Solicitation charges can arise if no exchange of sex for money ever took place. Instead, all a prosecutor has to prove is that you offered to pay or give some item of value for sexual services in order to convict you. In such situations, you can be charged with solicitation even if no one else was charged with a crime, such as the person who was allegedly solicited.
To prove solicitation, the prosecution must prove you had the intent to solicit a prostitute. Showing what you were thinking is difficult, as there can be no concrete evidence of your intentions. Therefore, there are ways to challenge that you had the intent to solicit anyone. Perhaps you were simply asking for directions or wanting to have a conversation. Challenging intent is only one of many defense strategies that may apply in a solicitation case.
Prostitution
If you’re caught offering or exchanging sex for money, the evidence against you may seem insurmountable. However, our firm understands that many people do not engage in prostitution out of their own free will. Many people are coerced or forced into prostitution by pimps and we can use that as a defense if it applies in your case. In addition, many people are arrested for suspected prostitution through undercover sting operations. If an undercover police officer encouraged you to engage in prostitution, you may be able to claim that entrapment occurred and that you would not have otherwise engaged in the crime. Furthermore, many arrests occur before money is actually exchanged and, in such cases, we can argue that no crime ever occurred and that the encounter was consensual.
Even if you know you are guilty of solicitation or prostitution, there are still many ways that our experienced defense lawyers can help in your case, so please call to discuss your options today.
Call Our Highly Experienced Houston Sex Crimes Lawyers
If you were charged with a crime, you need a Houston sexual offense lawyer you can trust to believe your side of the story and fight for your rights. Please call the respected and dedicated team at the Law Offices of Tad Nelson & Associates at 713-659-0909 today.
