Solicitation in Vestavia Hills

Criminal solicitation in Alabama is a serious offense that can carry harsh penalties. If you have been accused of criminal solicitation, you will need an experienced Vestavia Hills solicitation lawyer who can defend your reputation and your freedom in court. Contact a skilled defense attorney right away to begin your defense.

Alabama has several types of criminal solicitation laws that vary depending on the type of crime allegedly solicited. The crime of solicitation can encompass a number of different offenses.

In general, criminal solicitation involves soliciting – or, asking, requesting, inducing, or coercing – another person to participate in or commit a crime. Any type of crime can be solicited, although Alabama does not typically allow double prosecution in cases where the crime is itself considered the solicitation.

Solicitation of prostitution is most commonly associated with patrons of prostitution. So, called “johns” are often charged with solicitation when they agree to buy a sexual act or provide goods or services of value in exchange for sex.

Charges for solicitation in prostitution cases are not necessarily limited to patrons of prostitution, though. For instance, persons involved in alleged pimping and pandering could be charged with solicitation of prostitution if they are advertising to potential “johns” with the intent to get them to engage in prostitution.

The penalties for criminal solicitation depend upon the severity of the crime solicited. For example, solicitation of murder is considered a class A felony. Aside from soliciting murder, the crime of solicitation is typically classified as the felony or misdemeanor level just below the class of crime itself.

In other words, solicitation of a class A felony is considered a class B felony, and the solicitation of a Class B felony would constitute a Class C felony, and so on.

Soliciting prostitution – whether by soliciting sex for money, soliciting prostitution patrons, or inducing a person to engage in prostitution – is considered a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and up to $6000 in fines.

In addition, heightened penalties are triggered under certain circumstances, such as when the prostitute is a minor or has been coerced into prostitution.

Alabama designates the crime of soliciting a child to engage in a sexual act as a separate offense, classified as a class B felony punishable by up to 20 years in jail and $15,000 in fines. Soliciting a younger child may be subject to even harsher enhanced penalties.

Anyone who is charged with trying to lure a child online to commit a sex act can be convicted of solicitation of a child, even if no sexual act actually occurs. Were the illegal sex act to take place, that would constitute sexual assault or abuse, in addition to the original crime of solicitation.

No matter what type of criminal solicitation with which you have been charged, an experienced solicitation defense attorney in Vestavia Hills can help.

Because the crime of solicitation can carry such harsh penalties, it is crucial that you begin working with your skilled Vestavia Hills criminal solicitation lawyer as soon as possible so that they can examine the situation that led to the charges against you and determine whether any viable defenses may apply. Contact today.