Golden Valley Prostitution Lawyer

The sale of sexual contact or intercourse in exchange for money or anything else of value is against the law in Minnesota. While state law does not punish the act of prostitution quite as harshly as the act of soliciting sexual services from a prostitute, the former offense can still have very serious repercussions, including substantial fines and even jail time.

Getting a positive result from this sort of criminal case can be challenging, especially when fighting your charges alone or with an overworked public defender on your side. Having an experienced defense attorney in your corner could make all the difference. A seasoned Golden Valley prostitution lawyer could enforce your rights and contest the allegations against you effectively, giving you the chance to resolve your charges in the most favorable way possible.

Understanding Prostitution as a Criminal Offense

According to Minnesota Revised Statutes § 609.321, “prostitution” entails being hired, agreeing to be hired, or offering to be hired by someone else to engage in sexual contact or penetration with them. As per the same statutes, “sexual contact” refers to any intentional touching of the sex worker’s intimate areas by the person who hired them or vice versa. “Sexual penetration” refers to any penetration of the mouth, genitals, or anus by any part of the other party’s body or object for sexual gratification.

Under Minn. Stat. §609.324, anyone over the age of 18 acting as a sex worker has committed a misdemeanor offense, carrying up to 90 days in jail sentence and a $1,000 fine upon conviction. Additionally, engaging in prostitution either in a public place or more than once within a two-year period is a gross misdemeanor, carrying up to one year of jail time and a $3,000 fine. As a Golden Valley prostitution attorney could explain in detail, the act of agreeing to perform sexual services is usually sufficient grounds for a prostitution charge, even if no money was exchanged and the sexual services in question were not actually performed.

Possible Defenses Against Prostitution Charges

As is the case with most other types of criminal charges, successful defense strategies for prostitution charges are usually designed around proving that one or more key elements of the crime (as it is defined by state law) were not present in the defendant’s situation. For example, if sexual intercourse occurred without any agreement involving money or some other payment, there is no crime of prostitution—regardless of whether money was exchanged for other purposes.

While not as common for prostitution charges, it is important to note that it is unlawful for police officers to “entrap” people into offering sex in exchange for money by pressuring them to do something they would not have done otherwise. These are just two examples of approaches a prostitution lawyer in Golden Valley could take toward contesting a criminal allegation of this nature.

Talk to a Golden Valley Prostitution Attorney About Your Legal Options

Engaging in any form of sexual service in exchange for compensation can result in criminal charges and potentially life-altering criminal sanctions in Minnesota. That said, there is oftentimes a lot of nuance with prostitution laws, which law enforcement and court authorities may try to ignore in favor of getting a quick conviction.

Seeking help from a skilled Golden Valley prostitution lawyer could be vital to proactively telling your side of the story and effectively pursuing a favorable result from your legal proceedings. Call today to learn more.