Gaithersburg Solicitation Lawyer
Accusations of solicitation can be concerning not only to you but also to your employer, your family, and your community. People may make assumptions about your conduct and consider you guilty before you ever enter a courtroom. To avoid or minimize the harsh judgments and other penalties that may accompany solicitation charges, you may wish to contact a Gaithersburg solicitation lawyer right away.
All too often, law enforcement officials mischaracterize innocent behavior as illegal in their eagerness to combat prostitution. You may find yourself a victim of this behavior, which can be damaging to your personal and professional reputation. A criminal defense attorney may be able to assist in building a strong defense to clear your name and explain your actions.
Defining Solicitation Under State Law
Maryland law defines solicitation as “urging, advising, inducing, encouraging, requesting, or demanding” an illicit sexual act. Under Md. Code, Crim. Law § 11-306, individuals commit solicitation when they intentionally procure or solicit prostitution or assignation.
Per Md. Code, Crim. Law § 11-301, prostitution is defined as performing a sexual act in exchange for money. On the other hand, assignation occurs when individuals set up an appointment or engagement for prostitution. Taking any action to carry out the appointment or meeting is also unlawful.
Examples of solicitation might include hiring a prostitute for a third party or encouraging an acquaintance to perform an act of prostitution. Solicitation is a misdemeanor crime that can result in individuals serving up to one year in jail and paying a $500 fine. By consulting a solicitation attorney in Gaithersburg, individuals may be able to determine the best defense strategy for their situations.
Solicitation Charges in Gaithersburg
Md. Code, Crim. Law § 11-303 prohibits individuals from intentionally engaging in prostitution by any means. Under this code section, it also is illegal to be present in a building, structure, or conveyance for prostitution or assignation.
Solicitation may also involve violations of Md. Code, Crim. Law § 11-307. This code section makes it unlawful for persons who own or control a building, structure, or conveyance to allow others to use or enter it for prostitution. Keeping, setting up, or maintaining a building, structure, or conveyance for prostitution violates this section. A Gaithersburg attorney could determine whether someone accused of solicitation violated these statutes.
Like solicitation, both prostitution and assignation are misdemeanor offenses that can result in a one-year jail sentence, a $500 fine, or both. These offenses also create a permanent criminal record that will appear on background checks by prospective employers and landlords.
Proof of Solicitation and Assignation
The definitions of solicitation and assignation are comprehensive under state law. These code sections do not require that individuals physically exchange money or anything of value for a crime to occur. A conviction for assignation also does not require that individuals have an agreement with anyone. Instead, merely making an offer of assignation is enough to find individuals guilty of the criminal offense.
Furthermore, individuals could be convicted of assignation even if no sexual contact ever takes place between any parties. The wide range of actions that could qualify as assignation might lead law enforcement officials to charge even innocent individuals. Proving intent or a lack of intent can be a challenging task, but a Gaithersburg lawyer experienced with solicitation cases could have the knowledge to succeed.
A Gaithersburg Solicitation Attorney May Be Able to Help
Given the breadth of solicitation offenses under state law, individuals may easily violate one or more of the relevant code sections. This can result in multiple criminal charges. A Gaithersburg solicitation lawyer may be able to analyze the charges pending against you and determine the course of action for your case.
Defenses to solicitation may exist in your case. With the help of legal counsel, you may be able to work toward a mutually acceptable resolution of your case. Call now.
