Prostitution is frequently referred to as being the world’s oldest profession, but engaging in sexual activity for money remains illegal throughout Ohio and people can face serious criminal penalties for partaking in this conduct. Being arrested for any kind of prostitution crime can be incredibly embarassing, especially when a person is accused of soliciting a prostitute.

Ohio has a number of prostitution-related crimes, and each one can involve its own unique penalties that can make life very hard for alleged offenders. Even misdemeanor offenses can still have negative repercussions for job prospects and there could also be driver’s license suspensions in some cases.

Columbus, OH Solicitation for Prostitution Lawyer

Were you recently arrested for an alleged solicitation of prostitution offense in the greater Columbus area of Franklin County? You are going to want to be sure that you have experienced legal representation on your side when you appear in court.

Sabol | Mallory defends people throughout Central Ohio against all kinds of sex crime charges and we know how to help people avoid the costliest of consequences for these kinds of offenses. You can have us review your case and discuss all of your legal options with you when you call (614) 300-5088 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Solicitation for Prostitution Charges in Franklin County

Ohio Revised Code § 2907.241(A) establishes that no person, with purpose to solicit another to engage in sexual activity for hire and while in or near a public place, can do any of the following:

● Beckon to, stop, or attempt to stop another;

● Engage or attempt to engage another in conversation;

● Stop or attempt to stop the operator of a vehicle or approach a stationary vehicle;

● If the alleged offender is the operator of or a passenger in a vehicle, stop, attempt to stop, beckon to, attempt to beckon to, or entice another to approach or enter the vehicle of which the offender is the operator or in which the alleged offender is the passenger;

● Interfere with the free passage of another.

Violations of this statute are a third-degree misdemeanor. Ohio Revised Code § 2907.241(B) further provides that no person, with knowledge that the person has tested positive as a carrier of a virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), can engage in conduct in violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.241(A).

Whoever violates Ohio Revised Code § 2907.241(B) is guilty of loitering to engage in solicitation after a positive HIV test. Loitering to engage in solicitation after a positive HIV test is a fifth-degree felony.

Some of the other prostitution-related offenses in Ohio include:

Prostitution, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.25(A) — No person can engage in sexual activity for hire. A violation is a third-degree misdemeanor.

Prostitution, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.25(B) — No person, with knowledge that the person has tested positive as a carrier of a virus that causes AIDS, can engage in sexual activity for hire. A violation is a third-degree felony.

Enticement or solicitation to patronize a prostitute; procurement of a prostitute for another, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.23 — No person, knowingly and for gain, can entice or solicit another to patronize a prostitute or brothel; or procure a prostitute for another to patronize, or take or direct another at the other's request to any place for the purpose of patronizing a prostitute. No person, having authority or responsibility over the use of premises, can knowingly permit such premises to be used for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity for hire. This crime is known as procuring and is a first-degree misdemeanor. If the prostitute who is procured, patronized, or otherwise involved in a violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.23(A)(2) is under 16 years of age at the time of the violation, regardless of whether the alleged offender who violates Ohio Revised Code § 2907.23(A)(2) knows the prostitute's age, or if a prostitute who engages in sexual activity for hire in premises used in violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.23(B) is under 16 years of age at the time of the violation, regardless of whether the alleged offender who violates Ohio Revised Code § 2907.23(B) knows the prostitute's age, procuring is a fourth-degree felony. If the prostitute who is procured, patronized, or otherwise involved in a violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.23(A)(2) is 16 or 17 years of age at the time of the violation or if a prostitute who engages in sexual activity for hire in premises used in violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.23(B) is 16 or 17 years of age at the time of the violation, procuring is a fifth-degree felony.

Compelling prostitution, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.21 — No person can knowingly do any of the following:

• Compel another to engage in sexual activity for hire;
• Induce, procure, encourage, solicit, request, or otherwise facilitate either of the following:
• A minor to engage in sexual activity for hire, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor;
• A person the offender believes to be a minor to engage in sexual activity for hire, whether or not the person is a minor.
• Pay or agree to pay a minor, either directly or through the minor's agent, so that the minor will engage in sexual activity, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor;
• Pay or agree to pay a person the offender believes to be a minor, either directly or through the person's agent, so that the person will engage in sexual activity, whether or not the person is a minor.
• Pay a minor, either directly or through the minor's agent, for the minor having engaged in sexual activity pursuant to a prior agreement, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor;
• Pay a person the offender believes to be a minor, either directly or through the person's agent, for the person having engaged in sexual activity pursuant to a prior agreement, whether or not the person is a minor.
• Allow a minor to engage in sexual activity for hire if the person allowing the child to engage in sexual activity for hire is the parent, guardian, custodian, person having custody or control, or person in loco parentis of the minor;
• Allow a person the offender believes to be a minor to engage in sexual activity for hire if the person allowing the person to engage in sexual activity for hire is the parent, guardian, custodian, person having custody or control, or person in loco parentis of the person the offender believes to be a minor, whether or not the person is a minor.

Compelling prostitution is a third-degree felony. If the alleged offender commits a violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.21(A)(1) and the person compelled to engage in sexual activity for hire in violation of that division is 16 years of age or older but less than 18 years of age, compelling prostitution is a second-degree felony. If the alleged offender commits a violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2907.21(A)(1) and the person compelled to engage in sexual activity for hire in violation of that division is less than 16 years of age, compelling prostitution is a first-degree felony.

Promoting prostitution, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.22 — No person can knowingly establish, maintain, operate, manage, supervise, control, or have an interest in a brothel or any other enterprise a purpose of which is to facilitate engagement in sexual activity for hire; supervise, manage, or control the activities of a prostitute in engaging in sexual activity for hire; transport another, or cause another to be transported, in order to facilitate the other person's engaging in sexual activity for hire; or for the purpose of violating or facilitating a violation of this section, induce or procure another to engage in sexual activity for hire. Promoting prostitution is generally a fourth-degree felony but it is a third-degree felony if a prostitute in the brothel involved in the offense, or the prostitute whose activities are supervised, managed, or controlled by the offender, or the person transported, induced, or procured by the alleged offender to engage in sexual activity for hire, is a minor, whether or not the offender knows the age of the minor; the alleged offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section or a substantially similar violation of a law of another state or the United States; or the alleged offender also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of Ohio Revised Code § 2925.03. If the alleged offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of this section or two or more substantially similar violations of a law of another state or the United States, promoting prostitution is a second-degere felony.

Commercial sexual exploitation of a minor, Ohio Revised Code § 2907.19 — No person can knowingly purchase or otherwise obtain advertising space for an advertisement for sexual activity for hire that includes a depiction of a minor. This crime is a third-degree felony.

Solicitation for Prostitution Penalties in Columbus, OH

The criminal penalties associated with your prostitution crime will determine the possible sentence you could face if convicted. Generally, crimes are punishable as follows in the Ohio criminal process:

• Third-Degree Misdemeanor — Up to 60 days in jail and fine of up to $500.
• First-Degree Misdemeanor — Up to 180 days in jail and fine of up to $1,000
• Fifth-Degree Felony — Up to 12 months in prison and fine of up to $2,500
• Fourth-Degree Felony — Up to 18 months in prison and fine of up to $5,000
• Third-Degree Felony — Up to five years in prison and fine of up to $10,000
• Second-Degree Felony — Up to eight years in prison and fine of up to $15,000
• First-Degree Felony — Up to 11 years in prison and fine of up to $20,000

Alleged offenders could have a number of possible defenses against these kinds of sex crimes. Some individuals may have been mistakenly arrested for solicitation when there was never intent to solicit a prostitute, some alleged offenses involved no payment or sexual activity, and other agreements could be far too ambiguous to prosecute.

Franklin County Solicitation for Prostitution Resources

For Sex Workers Struggling With Addiction, A Safe Path To Recovery Can Be Hard To Find — Read a WOSU-FM article about some of the challenges sex workers face in trying to change their lives. “I want to quit and go home real bad, but it's just really hard,” one woman told WOSU. “You feel like you're trapped here.” The article states that in Columbus, law enforcement and anti-human trafficking advocates are seeing an increase in the number of women who are trafficked due to an opioid addiction.

Prostitution in Ohio - Decriminalize Sex Work — Decriminalize Sex Work is a national organization pursuing a state-by-state strategy to end the prohibition of consensual adult prostitution in the United States. Visit this website to learn more about some of the group’s efforts on the state level and federal level. You can also read recent press, learn about heroes, and find other resources.

The Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy | Columbus, OH Solicitation for Prostitution Attorney

If you were recently arrested for solicitation or any other prostitution offense in Columbus or a surrrounding area of Franklin County, you are going to need help defending yourself in court. Sabol | Mallory can be by your side and fight to make sure that you are able to continue to enjoy your freedom.

Our firm can fully investigate the circumstances surrounding your arrest to develop the strongest possible defense. Call (614) 300-5088 or contact us online today to take advantage of a free consultation that will let us examine your case and fully explore all of the options available to you.