Drive down Aurora Ave. in Seattle, WA and you will see prostitution. Engaging in prostitution is illegal in the U.S. except for some areas of Nevada. An individual can be charged with prostitution if they offer to provide sexual services in exchange for compensation, while the person who pays for the services can be charged with "patronizing prostitution" or "solicitation." Every aspect of the transaction is unlawful in Washington and the charges can extend beyond just the buyer and seller. Washington also prohibits advancing or promoting prostitution and offering or selling travel services with knowledge that the services are used to patronize prostitution.
Selling travel services to facilitate acts that constitute patronizing a prostitute within the state is a class C felony. This is one specific form of promoting prostitution that involves travel services, but Washington also criminalizes the more general offense of promoting prostitution.
In first degree promoting prostitution, a person knowingly advances prostitution by: 1) Threatening or forcing another to engage in prostitution or profits from prostitution which results from such threat or force; or 2) Compelling a person with a mental incapacity or developmental disability that renders them incapable of consenting to engage in prostitution or profits from prostitution.
Second degree prostitution occurs if a person knowingly: 1) Profits from prostitution; or 2) advances prostitution. In the State of Washington, the laws against prostitution are continuously changing and therefore, if arrested or charged, it is always important to consult with a criminal defense lawyer to discuss how
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you, and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer.