Prostitution convictions do serious damage. Relationships–and future relationships–can be destroyed. Job and housing opportunities can vanish. These consequences are on top of the legal penalties. Arizona State has strict prostitution laws, and even first convictions come with potentially life-changing effects.
Your first call after an arrest should be to a Glendale sex crimes lawyer from Suzuki Law Offices. A Glendale prostitution defense lawyer from our team will review your situation with care and without judgment and will work to have the charges or penalties you face lessened or wholly dismissed.
Get Help from the Start
Remember that you have constitutional rights that protect you upon arrest. You have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. Exercise those rights. While you need to give your name to the arresting officer under Arizona Law, you do not have to discuss anything else, and you should not.
You have the right to make a local phone call, without cost, within a reasonable amount of time following your arrest. Use that right to call a Glendale criminal defense lawyer and then allow your attorney to do all your talking for you. From the start, your lawyer will protect you from saying anything that could be used against you and from having your rights violated.
Law enforcement cannot listen to your conversation with your attorney. Be forthcoming with your lawyer. You can trust our team with your case, and the more information we have, the better we can serve you.
Legal Penalties for Prostitution Convictions
The legal penalties for a prostitution conviction vary depending on your arrest history. A violation of Arizona’s prostitution laws counts as a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the consequences are serious even for first-time offenders. Penalties increase along with the number of convictions.
First offenses carry a 15-consecutive-day jail sentence. Second offenses carry a 30-day minimum, and third offenses, 60 days. Whether a first or repeat offense, these convictions also bring a maximum fine of $2,500.
The costs continue, though, as fines typically come with surcharges the offender must pay. Upon release from the mandatory jail term, offenders can be put on probation. Probation can last for up to three years after release from jail.
When Offenders Incur a Fourth Offense
Offenders with three prior convictions can be charged with a Class 5 felony upon a fourth (or more) offense. Class 5 felonies come with the possibility of a four-year term in state prison. Fourth convictions also render offenders ineligible for probation until they serve 180 consecutive days in lockup and impose heavy fines that can potentially reach up to $150,000.
Continuing Consequences
Prostitution convictions come with high personal consequences as well. The act of prostitution and offering to pay a prostitute for sex carries a shameful stigma. If you are in a romantic partnership or even seeking one out long after your conviction and period of consequences, your partner (or to-be partner) may be turned away by that history.
Landlords and employers, both present and future, may deny you opportunities. With a prostitution conviction on your record, they may fear you will bring unseemly behavior to their property or stain their business’s reputation.
A prostitution defense attorney in Glendale will fight to have your charges diminished or wiped out completely so you do not face such serious personal fallout.
The continuing consequences of felony convictions are more severe. You may not be able to serve on a jury or exercise your right to vote or own or possess a firearm. Future, you may be precluded from acquiring professional licenses, or getting the security clearance necessary for certain government jobs.
A Custom-Built Defense
The team at Suzuki Law Offices has the resources, knowledge, and experience needed to build you a solid, effective defense. We know how to investigate arrests and alleged crimes and have a full understanding of Arizona’s prostitution laws and any Glendale Ordinances that could affect your legal standing. Though every case is different, some defenses commonly apply to prostitution cases.
A False Accusation
You might never think of “getting back” at someone by accusing them of a crime, but it happens. Jealous romantic partners, ex-partners, or even jealous friends seeking to destroy a relationship can level accusations, throwing a “legal bombshell” into your life. Our team will search for evidence of the accuser’s lies to clear your charges and your name.
You Are the Victim
Sex workers are not necessarily “willing” participants. They may be under the control of dangerous people, threatened with injury or death if they do not earn. Sometimes, pimps purposely turn those under their control into drug addicts, only providing them with drugs if they continue to work.
The scenarios around sex trafficking are tragic. And if you are working under duress, your attorney will fight to get you out from under the charges. When you are the victim, you should not face criminal penalties.
Law Enforcement Overstepped
Law enforcement officers sometimes use tactics such as “stings” to trick potential offenders into committing a crime so the officers can then arrest the alleged criminal. However, if the only reason you committed the alleged crime was because of that law enforcement trick, your attorney may present an entrapment defense. There are limits to the tactics law enforcement can use, and an overstep of those limits can render your charges baseless.
Your prostitution defense lawyer in Glendale will analyze the circumstances of your arrest. You must be apprised of your arrest, and officers must have probable cause for making an arrest. Any unlawful omissions or actions could lead to charge dismissal.
Call Our Fearless, Experienced Glendale Prostitution Defense Lawyers
Getting arrested for prostitution is scary–the consequences are far-reaching and damaging. Count on a Glendale prostitution defense lawyer from Suzuki Law to face this frightening situation with fearlessness and experience.
We fight boldly to ensure our clients’ fair treatment by the criminal justice system, protecting them from severe or unwarranted punishments. Reach out with a call or message today. We look forward to fighting for your rights.
Call or text (602) 682-5270 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form