In Texas, solicitation of prostitution is a crime. The Texas solicitation of prostitution law is defined as intentionally offering or agreeing to pay someone else to engage in sexual conduct. Texas solicitation of prostitution is a state jail felony. The penalty range is 180 days to 2 years in a state jail prison. A defendant can also receive probation if they are eligible.
The Texas solicitation of prostitution law was a misdemeanor crime until recently. Advocates that fight sex trafficking have worked hard to enact harsher laws. As a result of this new law police agencies have begun enforcing the Texas solicitation of prostitution law through “sting operations”.
A “sting operation” is a type of police operation in which undercover officers pose as prostituted individuals or those willing to engage in prostitution, in order to catch individuals who are attempting to solicit prostitution. The goal of a sting operation is to target the demand side of prostitution, by catching those who are willing to pay for sexual services. These operations often involve the use of online ads, social media, and other forms of communication to attract potential suspects. Once the suspect agrees to engage in a sexual act in exchange for money, they are arrested by the police. Usually, the suspect is told to come to a hotel room or house and once they walk in, they are arrested. Recently a Prostitution sting operation in Frisco led to 46 men being arrested.
Enforcement of the Texas solicitation of prostitution law has become popular with police agencies and it’s important to hire an experienced criminal attorney to represent any individual arrested for this crime. An experienced criminal attorney can review the discovery and determine what legal defenses are available. A criminal attorney can also negotiate with the prosecutor to try and find a resolution to the case that does the least amount of harm to the client. A conviction should be avoided if at all possible.