There are many ways to participate in prostitution, with online sites making it even easier. Rural Lake County particularly has experienced the ebb and flow of this activity over the years, spearheading stings and arresting people. If you are arrested for soliciting a prostitute, remember a judge will not view it as minor infraction. There are real consequences.
Your freedom and reputation are at stake if you are convicted. You can lose your family, your job, your friends, and serve time in jail, with judges given wide discretion to sentence you, depending on the circumstances. The debate is not that prostitution should or should not be legalized in Florida. It is a crime, and there is enough punishment involved that you should contact a Lake County solicitation lawyer at once.
Under Florida Statutes Subsection 796.07(2)(f) solicitation of prostitution is explained as making arrangements to participate in a sex act in exchange for money or something else of value. The party charged can be the seller or buyer of the sex act by either enticing a customer or procuring a prostitute as a paying customer. Solicitation can be in person, via email, online, or in a text.
Once Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies observe an interaction by a prostitute and a prospective customer, often called a ‘john’ or ‘trick,’ and are often caught because a sting is in progress and the prostitute is a sheriff’s deputy impersonating a prostitute, then the person negotiating for a sex act will be arrested and charges filed.
As a defendant in a criminal trial, you will be arraigned before the judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court. The judge will read the charges and ask how you plead. Pretrial hearings occur next, where motions concerning evidence are entered, and the prosecutor and your criminal defense attorney might consider negotiating a plea. If they cannot agree on a suitable compromise, your case will go to trial, where the prosecutor must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Our job as your advocate is to achieve the best outcome for you so you can put the incident behind you. A Lake County solicitation attorney offers hope and experience when a situation seems bleak. We roll up our sleeves and get to work refuting the prosecutor’s assertions.
An important defense when you are caught in a sting operation is that you had been entrapped. Deputies cannot coerce you into doing something you would not ordinarily do. If an aggressive deputy begins the conversation and is insistent enough that you feel threatened or pay to get away, your attorney might be able to claim entrapment. Other defenses include:
Our attorneys are trained to listen closely to what you have to say and what the prosecutor claims. We assess all the facts, looking for the best way to poke holes in the prosecutor’s insistence that you are guilty and the only suspect who could be. In solicitation cases, a Lake County lawyer provides the competent representation you deserve to fight the charges.
Solicitation is generally charged as a misdemeanor in Florida, which means the judge could sentence you to probation or to serve up to a year in jail, along with fines, and community service if you are convicted. Aggravating circumstances make the punishment harsher, although we could introduce mitigating ones that act in your favor.
However, even Lake County arrests are publicized in online forums such as Busted Newspaper and Arrests.org, where your mug shot and arrest details are available. For the best chance of a favorable outcome, contact a Lake County solicitation attorney now.
Our attorneys understand what you are going through after an arrest for a sex-related crime. Over our decades of experience, we can tell you that you are not alone, and we offer you the respect and help you need now.
Remember, an arrest is just the beginning of a long road on which many challenges can derail the prosecutor. We exploit challenges for your benefit because you are entitled to a knowledgeable advocate to defend you in front of a jury of your peers. Contact a Lake County solicitation lawyer now to strategize and start rebuilding your future.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
