If you've found yourself being arrested and charged for a prostitution-related offense, you'll have to honestly ask yourself whether the charge is valid. It's possible that an officer observed you approaching a prostitute and discussing a sexual activity, but it's also possible that you were speaking to someone whom you didn't know was a prostitute.
It can be frustrating to have this misdemeanor arrest — especially given its embarrassing nature — on your record, so you'll want to hire an experienced attorney to help you fight the charge and hopefully get it dropped. Here are some defenses that you can use.
You Were Asking Directions
It's possible that you were lost and saw a woman standing on the street corner, and decided that she may be able to help you with directions. If the woman was a prostitute, but you weren't aware of this fact, the police may have observed you pull up to the woman and begin to talk — and this could lead to your arrest. A good defense to discuss with your attorney is that you were simply asking for directions. If this were the case, you'll want to think of some specific examples that will support this defense.
You Were Trying To Help
Perhaps you suspected that the woman you were speaking to was a prostitute, but you were trying to help her get out of this risky lifestyle. Some people attempt to be good Samaritans and try to help those who need it. Perhaps you were offering her some money just to get her off the street, or maybe you were talking about how going to church has helped you through some difficult times in your life and were inviting her to attend a service with you. If this type of discussion led to a prostitution arrest, you'll want to use it as your defense.
You Were Being Profiled
Perhaps you have a prostitution arrest in your history, but it was a long time ago, and you've since changed your ways. Unfortunately, the arrest will stay on your record, and if a police officer were to observe your car in a high-prostitution zone, he or she would likely run your plate and assume you're there to break the law. If this weren't the case, you may wish to pursue the defense that the officer profiled you because of your history. Your criminal lawyer will go over the exact details that led up to your arrest to put together a strong defense that will help you.