Prostitution is illegal in Georgia, and anyone participating in the act of prostitution, such as soliciting services, is punishable by law. Often of greater concern for a person charged with solicitation is the social and professional repercussions such an allegation could have. Solicitation is considered a sex offense that carries serious criminal charges and could result in hefty fines and possible jail time.
The consequences of a solicitation charge may be far-reaching and could damage relationships as well as put the accused at risk of having a criminal record that may make their life more difficult in the long-term.
An Atlanta solicitation lawyer can provide the legal defense that you need to negotiate the charges and sentencing for your case with the professionalism and discretion you deserve. An experienced Atlanta defense attorney will best be able to build a proper defense for your case. Given that prostitution is illegal, solicitation is also listed as a sex offense under Georgia Code of Law called pandering. Solicitation falls into the section O. Pandering could also mean a person has solicited an act of prostitution on behalf of another or has gathered a group of people with the intent to solicit prostitution.
It is important to understand that a solicitation charge is about the request and not the act of prostitution, meaning that discussing the services and cost with a prostitute is also against the law. Thus, soliciting prostitution may be charged and convicted whether or not the person arrested has received any services or exchanged payment.
The prosecution must work to prove that the defendant had a serious intent to commit the act by agreeing to compensate for the service, which is simplified if the defendant offered monetary payment. Given the way solicitation charges are handled, an Atlanta solicitation attorney should be brought on to represent the case sooner rather than later to avoid compromising the possibility of reducing or dismissing charges by misspeaking or acting in any way that could further implicate the person accused.
