Prostitution Defense Lawyers in Oklahoma City, OK

A prostitution defense attorney specializes in defending individuals charged with prostitution-related offenses such as solicitation, engaging in prostitution, operating a prostitution house, and child prostitution. Prostitution-related charges and their penalties are defined in the Oklahoma Statutes Title 21, Sections 1028 to 1033. A defense attorney's role includes providing legal counsel, developing a defense strategy, negotiating plea deals, and representing their client in court. Lawyers use a variety of defense strategies to fight prostitution charges including arguing entrapment, lack of intent, procedural errors during arrest, or challenging the credibility of witnesses or evidence.

If you or a loved one has been charged with prostitution or solicitation of a prostitute in Oklahoma, it is essential that you speak to an experienced legal team as quickly as possible.  They will ensure that your rights are protected at all times.  

Prostitution Laws in the State of Oklahoma

Oklahoma prostitution laws are more wide-ranging than most would believe, and it is, therefore, crucial to retain a prostitution lawyer should you face such charges. Criminal liability for prostitution is not merely limited to the individuals having sex; anyone directly or indirectly involved in the sex trade can be charged as follows:

• Engaging in Prostitution – Prostitution can be boiled down to trading sexual acts for money or anything of value. As such, prostitution is not merely limited to intercourse.
• Soliciting Prostitution – There is no prostitution absent someone bargaining for the sexual acts. The person bargaining for or obtaining the sexual acts is the person soliciting prostitution. As such, an individual can be charged with soliciting either by attempting to sell the sexual acts or attempting to buy the sexual acts. Soliciting prostitution can lead to extremely negative repercussions due to the social stigma involved.
• Pimping – Pimping is the act of soliciting prostitution for a third party.
• Maintaining Prostitution House – Any person who maintains any dwelling where an act of prostitution occurs can be charged with a misdemeanor.
• Renting Prostitution House – An individual who knows or should know that any portion of a building he or she rents out to a third party is used for prostitution can be charged with a misdemeanor.
• Child prostitution – "Child prostitution" means prostitution or lewdness with a person under sixteen (16) years of age, in exchange for money or any other thing of value.

Internet Prostitution

It has long been said that prostitution is one of the world’s oldest professions. As such, when we think of prostitution, our collective conscience conjures up images of streetwalkers or scantily clad “ladies of the night.” While a large portion of the arrests for prostitution do occur on the streets, the internet and other advances in technology have blown open an entirely new frontier for those individuals engaged in prostitution.

There are entire online internet communities devoted to promoting “escort services.” Even though these groups and websites are usually monitored by webmasters and moderators, they are prime targets for undercover setups and sting operations as well. In the same vein, message board sites, such as Craigslist and the like, have erupted as supposed safe havens for online prostitution.

Regardless, certain bars and clubs still earn reputations for prostitution over time; likewise, some hotels and businesses are also known for this type of conduct. Consequently, these areas are littered with undercover police officers attempting to bust those individuals soliciting or engaging in prostitution in Oklahoma.

Who Can be Arrested for Prostitution in Oklahoma?

It isn’t merely the person performing the sexual acts who faces potential liability for prostitution. The following individuals can be arrested and subjected to the criminal process as well:

• The prostitute – The person performing the bargained for sexual acts
• The 'john' – The person paying the prostitute for the sexual acts
• The pimp – The third party facilitating the prostitution for customers or vice versa; pimps brokers the sexual activities of the prostitute and take a portion of the profits.
• The property owner –The individual who either maintains or rents the building in which the prostitution occurs. Commercial property owners, club owners, and hotel owners can all find themselves charged with prostitution.

Furthermore, law enforcement agencies will often time attempt to procure “confidential informant” (CI) agreements from those arrested for prostitution-related crimes. These agreements can be very lengthy, requiring the completion of numerous objectives before the threat of public prosecution is removed. As is the case with any other legally binding agreement, an individual in this situation is best served by retaining experienced counsel to represent his or her interests.

If you or a loved one has been charged with prostitution in Oklahoma, time is of the essence. You need an experienced prostitution attorney, and you need one right now. Call the Law Offices of Adam R. Banner, P.C., and retain an accomplished attorney ready to fight for your rights. Call us today at (405) 778-4800 for a free consultation.