Charleston Solicitation Lawyer

Solicitation refers to the act of soliciting a prostitute, which is illegal in South Carolina. A conviction could have serious consequences, including legal fines, penalties, damage to your reputation, career setbacks, and other social repercussions. It is crucial to contact a defense attorney for guidance if you are facing a solicitation charge. Call Dayne Phillips, an experienced Charleston solicitation lawyer, who dedicates himself to providing thorough and effective legal representation for serious charges.

State Solicitation Laws

While the state does not have a specific solicitation law, it does address solicitation under charges of prostitution. This charge involves procuring or soliciting a prostitute to engage in sex for money or anything else of value.

The following acts also qualify as solicitation:

• Entering a place of prostitution or residing in a place of prostitution
• Inviting someone into a vehicle to engage in prostitution
• Receiving another person into any place or vehicle to engage in prostitution
• Knowingly aiding or abetting prostitution in any form

A Charleston attorney could explain that you do not have to engage in sexual activity for authorities to enforce the charge of offering payment for these services. Engaging in prostitution, which involves trading sex for money, whether for oneself or on behalf of someone else, is illegal. This often leads authorities to conduct undercover operations, resulting in charges even if no sexual activity occurs.

Fines and Penalties for Solicitation

The severity of each solicitation charge depends on whether you have any prior convictions on your record. Generally, authorities classify these charges as misdemeanors, but specific circumstances could elevate a solicitation charge to a felony. The basic structure for fines and penalties is up to $200 and a jail sentence of up to 30 days for the first offense. A second offense carries fines of up to $1,000 and a jail sentence of up to six months, and a third or subsequent offense carries fines of up to $3,000 and a jail sentence of up to one year.

In Charleston, an attorney could advise you that payment for sexual services generally only results in registration on the sex offender registry if the person solicited is a minor. However, ignorance of a person’s age is not a legal defense, even if they lied about their age.

Collateral Damage

A conviction for any charge could have serious collateral consequences relating to your position in the community, but the social impact of a solicitation charge could be especially challenging. In some instances, a proactive solicitation attorney could help expunge a solicitation charge, making it advisable to work closely with them from the start.

Your criminal record is public information, and a solicitation conviction could lead to social consequences such as damage to your reputation, hindrance in job opportunities and career advancement, potential loss of professional licenses, difficulty in finding housing, and challenges in obtaining a mortgage.

Additionally, your opportunities to pursue higher education could face obstacles. For example, you may not qualify for the full range of financial aid that you would have otherwise received. Some institutions also implement a blanket policy that prevents them from accepting students with criminal records.

Your future is too important to let a solicitation charge change affect it. A Charleston attorney could help you navigate your legal situation and minimize potential consequences in cases involving payment for sexual services.

Call a Charleston Attorney Today for Help With Your Sex Procurement Case

Dayne Phillips, an experienced Charleston solicitation lawyer, has built an impressive and long-standing track record of obtaining beneficial results even in the most challenging circumstances, and is committed to helping you as well. A conviction could have wide-ranging and lifelong consequences, so seeking professional guidance is strongly advised. Do not hesitate to contact his team online or call for more information today.