Alabama has strict laws related to prostitution, and if you are facing prostitution charges of any kind, you will need the help of an experienced Vestavia Hills prostitution lawyer who can examine all the aspects of your case and advise you of your best legal options going forward. Get in touch with an experienced defense attorney as soon as possible.
Prostitution Offenses in AlabamaAlabama’s prostitution laws focus on all of the parties engaged in prostitution-related activities, including persons attempting to sell sex, persons accused of buying or soliciting prostitution, any parties making money from prostitution, and those who help others commit prostitution.
Other common prostitution-related offenses could include:
Even if a person is not themselves involved in a sex act in exchange for money, it is also illegal to force or coerce someone else to commit a prostitution offense or to help them do so in anyway.
Likewise, no sex act needs to take place in order for a prostitution-related offense to have been committed. Simply agreeing to buy or sell sex can land a person in legal trouble with a prostitution charge and needing the help of an experienced Vestavia Hills prostitution lawyer.
Pimping and Pandering LawsAlabama also prohibits both pimping and pandering offenses. In some states, pimping – or receiving money from the practice of prostitution – and pandering, which can involve advertising and soliciting prostitution clients, or so-called “Johns,” are considered separate crimes.
General pimping and pandering, as well as prostitution itself, are all considered class A misdemeanors and carry a penalty of up to one year in jail and fines of no more than $6000.
Some persons accused of pimping or pandering may be charged with both crimes. An experienced Vestavia Hills prostitution attorney will be familiar with the valid defenses for each crime.
Aggravated Pimping and Pandering in AlabamaAggravated pimping and pandering carries higher level penalties. A person may be charged with aggravated pimping or pandering when the alleged prostitute is a minor or was coerced or falsely imprisoned.
If the prostitute is under age 18, this constitutes a class C felony punishable by up to $15,000 in fines and between one year and 10 years in prison. If the prostitute is a child younger than 16, this constitutes a class B felony carrying up to 20 years in prison and $30,000 in fines.
In addition, anyone convicted of aggravated pimping and pandering is required to register as a sex offender for life in Alabama.
Potential Prostitution DefensesIf a person accused of a prostitution-related offense was not aware that the other parties involved were seeking to exchange money or things of value for sex acts, this may be a valid defense to a prostitution charge.
While being coerced or forced into prostitution is not itself a defense to the crime of prostitution, a skilled prostitution attorney in Vestavia hills can present this information to the court to take into account.
Talk to a Vestavia Hills Prostitution Attorney TodayNo matter what type of prostitution charge you are facing or the specific circumstances that led to your being charged with a prostitution-related offense, a skilled Vestavia Hills prostitution lawyer can work to protect and restore your reputation in the community and keep your criminal record clean. Contact today.