Ocean City Prostitution Lawyer
Under Maryland law, prostitution is defined as the performance of a sexual act, sexual contact, or intercourse for hire. It is engaging in any one of those three things for money. What the law makes clear is that prostitution does not necessarily mean having sex for money. It can be other acts besides sexual intercourse that can make an individual face a prostitution charge.
If you have been charged with prostitution and are seeking a robust legal defense, it is imperative to consult with a criminal attorney in Ocean City immediately. A knowledgeable Ocean City prostitution lawyer can build a case to help lessen or dismiss any potential consequences you may be facing.
Application of the Law
The laws surrounding prostitution applies to both the person doing the actual act and the person who is soliciting someone to do an act of prostitution. Prostitution also includes the crime of assignation. Assignation means trying to engage in prostitution with another person.
The law prohibits both a person from asking another person to perform an act of prostitution, while also prohibiting prostitution. Both are just as equally violating the law. Such violations can be best defended against by a prostitution attorney in Ocean City.
Charging an Individual
The crime of prostitution is a state-wide crime, so the law applies in Ocean City as it does elsewhere in Maryland. Ocean City does not have its own separate municipal code that addresses prostitution. If someone were to be charged in Ocean City for the crime of prostitution, they are going to be charged under the criminal law which applies to the entire State of Maryland. To defend against such charges, an individual should not hesitate before contacting an Ocean City prostitution attorney.
It is a violation of Maryland law for somebody to receive the earnings of the prostitute, so there is also a portion of the law that addresses an individual who controls prostitutes and takes part of their earnings. There seems to be an attempt made throughout the law to address all the different ways that somebody may be affected by this.
What to Expect
The judges involved in prostitution cases would likely impose a fine to those convicted. They might also impose a period of probation. It would be unusual for them to incarcerate someone.
If the person charged is the individual who was willing to engage in a sexual act, unfortunately, many times, those people are also drug-addicted. They are often homeless and may be prostituting to have money to support their addiction.
What these individuals can expect is that the court would want to create some conditions of probation to hopefully help them with their substance abuse issues and get them to lead an improved lifestyle.
Their probation would probably include having to attend drug treatment classes, providing urine samples to their probation agents for testing, or anything else to help them be able to maintain their sobriety. An Ocean City prostitution attorney can help a person obtain a successful outcome against the charge they may be facing.