Prostitution Charges in Long Beach

Long Beach Sex Crime Attorney Fighting Charges

Prostitution occurs when someone agrees to commit a sexual act in exchange for money or some other form of payment. According to California law, prostitution is more specifically defined as any "lewd act" between two individuals that is carried out for the purpose of obtaining money or other consideration, according to California Penal Code §647(b). Individuals can be charged with prostitution either for engaging in such a sexual act or accepting an offer to engage in such an act. Law enforcement officers sometimes carry out sting operations, or undercover operations, in order to try and catch prostitutes making or accepting sexual offers.

Those who are facing prostitution charges in the Long Beach area should seek the help of a Long Beach criminal defense lawyer who understands how these types of cases work. At the Law Office of Leonard Matsuk, our attorney has spent more than 40 years practicing law in courts located in and around Long Beach. Because of this experience, Attorney Leonard Matsuk has in-depth understanding of California law, and he is also familiar with the local court system.

Prostitution Penalties in California

In California, prostitution is considered a misdemeanor that falls under the category of disorderly conduct. This crime, upon a first offense, is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Upon a second offense, the defendant will be required to serve a jail term of at least 45 days before any type of early release.

For a third or subsequent offense, the minimum period of incarceration before early release is 90 days. Individuals can also be charged with prostitution-related crimes for make arrangements for business to occur between a prostitute and a customer. Some prostitutions charges are reached through law enforcement's monitoring of Internet communication concerning these types of activities.

Various Defenses Against Prostitution Charges

There are a number of different ways to fight prostitution charges. Sometimes, prosecutors do not have strong enough evidence to prove that the defendant actually offered a sexual service or accepted someone's offer of payment for a sexual act. In other cases, the evidence cannot be used because of mistakes made by law enforcement during the sting operation or arrest process. Some individuals who were arrested through sting operations use the "entrapment" defense. This defense argues that the defendant did not previously intend to commit such a crime and that the individual was lured into the act solely based on the officer's persuading.

Whether your prostitution arrest occurred because of a misunderstanding or because of a mistake you made, you can turn to the Law Office of Leonard Matsuk for help resolving your criminal matter.