If you were arrested or charged with solicitation in the state of New Jersey, you may be facing serious consequences if your prosecution ends with a conviction. Fortunately, a Monmouth County solicitation lawyer could meet with you to discuss your situation and help you pursue a positive outcome to it. Call a dedicated criminal defense attorney today to take the first step toward resolving your case.
Solicitation Law Applicable to Monmouth CountyNew Jersey state law criminalizes prostitution and solicitation offenses under the same statute. According to New Jersey Statutes §2C:34.1, solicitation occurs when an individual offers to exchange sex or sexual acts in exchange for money or other items of value.
Potential penalties for a solicitation offense include imprisonment for a term up to six months and a $1,000 fine. Convictions for solicitation can also require registration as a sex offender, information which is available to the general public.
Potential Defenses to Solicitation ChargesEven in the best of circumstances, solicitation defenses can be complex. A person charged with solicitation should never respond to the charges until all evidence of the crime has been examined by an experienced Monmouth County solicitation attorney.
The best defense to a charge of solicitation is to show that the elements of the offense were not met and therefore the crime alleged did not occur. In solicitation cases, there are two elements of the crime that must be met.
First, there must be a request for a sexual favor. The second element of the crime of solicitation requires an offer of money or other items of value if the requested sexual favor takes place.
However, an alleged offer to engage in sexual activity is often vague or subject to many interpretations. Each case is unique, and the facts specific to an arrest and the words spoken as alleged by the police and contained in the police report may serve as a basis for contesting the basic elements of the charge.
EntrapmentMany arrests for solicitation are the result of an organized police operation, with decoy prostitutes walking the streets or operating in hotel rooms. The police can place online ads for sexual services and lure citizens to a location for a potential arrest.
Entrapment is a possible defense to criminal charges stemming from such an operation. As N.J.S. §2C:2-12 states, entrapment occurs when police actions entice a person to commit a crime that, were it not for the police tempting them, they would not have committed. Even if the encounter is recorded, the police may have been coercive or overstepped legal boundaries.
If an experienced Monmouth County solicitation lawyer can establish entrapment occurred, that fact could serve as a complete defense to the charge of solicitation.
A Monmouth County Solicitation Attorney May Be Able to HelpConsultation with a seasoned Monmouth County solicitation lawyer could help you understand the options available to you and give you a good idea of what to expect as your case progresses. Whenever possible, an attorney could also advocate on your behalf in and out of court, which could save you a great deal of stress and time. To find out more, call today to schedule a consultation.