If you are facing charges for solicitation, it is understandable for you to be concerned about your future. A conviction of solicitation could harm your reputation, limit your employment opportunities, and even affect your ability to obtain appropriate housing. In addition to these collateral consequences, you could also face time behind bars. A consultation with a Brush solicitation lawyer could provide you with insight on what to expect from these charges.
Working closely with The Colorado Lawyer Team could benefit you in fighting a solicitation charge. At experienced attorney should be able to advise you what to expect from a plea offer from the District Attorney or at sentencing from the judge.
Understanding Solicitation Charges
Under state law, the crime of solicitation of a prostitute is not one single type of act. According to Colorado Statute Section 18-7-202, there are three ways a person could violate the statute. The first occurs when a person solicits another individual for the purpose of prostitution. In other words, inquiring with another person about potentially exchanging money or something valuable for a sex act.
The second act prohibited by the statute involves a person arranging or offering to arrange for two people to meet for purposes of prostitution. The third prohibited act prohibits a person from knowingly directing someone to a place that will allow them to solicit a prostitute. These additional prongs are intentionally broad, allowing police to not only entangle anyone soliciting a prostitute directly but also any person assisting with that solicitation.
Solicitation is different from the charge of patronizing a prostitute. Governed by Colorado Statute Section 18-6-205, patronizing a prostitute involves more than just an offer or solicitation. This crime occurs when a person completes the act of trading money for a sex act with a prostitute.
Each of these charges carries the risk of serious punishment. Under state law, solicitation is a Class 3 misdemeanor. If convicted, a defendant could serve up to six months in county jail. A conviction also carries a potentially hefty fine of up to $5,000. The penalties for patronizing a prostitute are even higher, with a maximum jail term of 18 months behind bars.
While first-time offenders might face some leniency, multiple prior convictions could lead to a sentence on the higher end of the scale. A skilled Brush solicitation attorney could work with the prosecutor to have these charges dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense. If unable to negotiate a favorable outcome, they could also fight for an acquittal at trial.
