Child Prostitution

Prostitution is illegal in North Carolina. And while police and prosecutors take these offenses seriously, a conviction for prostitution is generally a misdemeanor unless you have several prior convictions for the same. However, child prostitution is another story. Not only can a conviction for child prostitution land you in jail for years, but it can also result in mandatory sex offender registration. At the Olsinski Law Firm, PLLC, our team of North Carolina defense attorneys represents clients facing all types of sex crimes, including those involving allegations of child prostitution.

In Texas, there are two different child prostitution charges, depending on a person’s involvement. In a typical arrangement, the person selling sex commits prostitution, the person buying sex commits its solicitation of prostitution, and a “pimp,” or the person facilitating the transaction, commits the promotion of prostitution. However, North Carolina law does not provide for specific punishments for minors engaging in prostitution. In fact, the law provides minors who engage in prostitution with immunity from criminal prosecution. Instead, the law takes an especially harsh approach to those who solicit or promote child prostitution.

Under North Carolina General Statutes § 14-205.1, it is a crime to knowingly offer or agree to pay another person for the purpose of engaging in any type of sexual activity. This includes vaginal, oral or anal sex. A conviction for solicitation of prostitution is generally a misdemeanor; however, the offense escalates to Class G felony if the person from whom the defendant solicits sex is a minor.

Under North Carolina General Statutes § 14-205.3, it is a crime to “advance” prostitution. Advancing prostitution covers a broad range of activities, including,

• Helping another find a prostitute,
• Compelling another to engage in prostitution;
• Allowing someone to use their building when there is reason to believe they are engaging in prostitution,
• Using the internet to solicit sex workers,
• Sharing in the profits of prostitution.

Often, the promotion of prostitution involves those who occupy the role of a “pimp”; however, the law does not require the existence of a formal relationship. In other words, if a hotel bartender agrees to find a business traveler a prostitute for a fee, they could be charged with the promotion of prostitution even if they didn’t know the person who was selling sex.

The promotion of prostitution is typically a Class F felony. However, if a defendant promotes the prostitution of a minor, the offense becomes Class C or Class D felony.

While both solicitation and promotion of child prostitution are incredibly serious crimes, there are several defenses available. For example, law enforcement cannot entrap or induce someone to commit a crime they were not otherwise planning on committing. Additionally, these crimes often proceed with questionable evidence regarding any “agreement” between the person buying sex and the person selling sex. Thus, one common defense is to challenge the sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence that a defendant knowingly solicited or promoted prostitution.

If you were recently arrested for a child prostitution offense, it is incredibly important that you immediately reach out to an experienced North Carolina criminal defense lawyer. At the Olsinski Law Firm, PLLC, we have decades of experience aggressively defending clients charged with serious sex offenses. We understand the challenges you face from the outset and will work with you to fight your case on all fronts. Our sex crime defense lawyers take the time to understand your side of the story, ensuring that you have a voice throughout the process. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation with a Charlotte child prostitution crimes lawyer, give us a call at 704-405-2580. You can also reach our Concord sex crime defense lawyers at 704-918-4747.