Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

Nearly 100 people have been arrested in a variety of Los Angeles prostitution charges at a downtown hostess club, the L.A. Times reported.

Consulting a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer is your best move when facing solicitation or prostitution charges. While typically charged as a misdemeanor, jail time and other serious penalties can result. Unfortunately, shame and embarrassment sometimes prompt a defendant to quickly and quietly enter a guilty plea in an effort to put the incident behind them. We believe that's a mistake -- having a conviction for solicitation or prostitution on your criminal record can impact your life for years to come.

Ninety people, mostly women, were taken into custody during the raid. Charges range from suspicion of prostitution and lewd conduct, to gambling and the use of counterfeit identification.

Three dozen officers from the LAPD's vice unit led the raid on the club at 9th and Hill streets on Friday. They reportedly found 400 people in a space with a permitted capacity of 250. Police regulate clubs and report that the raid came after conditions found during an inspection several months ago, when they reported finding dancers using false IDs and allegedly engaging in prostitution.

Hostess clubs are permitted by police but are prohibited from serving alcohol or allowing nudity. The club charges $30 an hour for "time and companionship."

The Times reports officers witnessed no illegal conduct during Friday's raid.

Continue reading "Los Angeles prostitution charges should be fought by experienced defense lawyer" »

Four people have been arrested on prostitution charges in the Los Angeles area after authorities allege women were being recruited from China to work in brothels, the L.A. Times reported.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the arrested follow a nine-month investigation. The alleged brothels were operating out of condominiums in Monterey Park and San Gabriel and relied on word-of-mouth and personal referrals to lure customers for sex.

The defendants are accused of immigration fraud, including using fake documents and false marriages to recruit women. Some of the women had valid student visas. The four suspects arrested are facing numerous charges, including conspiracy to import and harbor aliens for prostitution, conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and pimping and pandering.

"Illegal ventures like this degrade the quality of life in our neighborhoods as well as the women involved," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of ICE's office of Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles. "ICE will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to attack and dismantle these kinds of enterprises that prey on the vulnerable and often bring other criminal activity into the area."

Those facing conspiracy charges should always consult with an experienced federal defense lawyer in Los Angeles. Conspiracy charges carry the same penalty as the underlying crime but are much easier to prove, making them a favorite of federal prosecutors. Additionally, being convicted of a crime while in the United States on a visa will result in deportation.

Continue reading "Los Angeles prostitution charges require federal defense lawyer to challenge visa fraud allegations" »

The U.S. breathed a sigh of relief when journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling were reunited with their families on a California runway after 5 months of imprisonment in North Korea. The women were arrested while pursing a story on human trafficking; but you do not have to travel halfway around the world to find young women being forced into slavery as prostitutes. Federal authorities estimate that 15,000 to 18,000 girls and women in America are victims of human trafficking every year.

Targeted at shopping malls, schools, college campuses and on the internet, girls are often lured into a life of forced prostitution with promises of modeling or acting careers. Poverty or a history of abuse can make women more vulnerable, but often it's the trusting nature of youth that places girls in jeopardy. Lured to Florida with promises of a modeling career, an attractive suburban high school graduate was forced to prostitute herself by a pimp she believed was a modeling agency photographer. The man beat her and threatened to kill her and harm her family to force her to have sex with men in the backseat of his car -- as many as 20 times a night. Some pimps use drugs to control their victims, addicting girls against their will.

Increasingly, law enforcement officers are recognizing that prostitutes may be victims of human trafficking. "We need to figure out who the bad guy is, just like in any other crime," Lt. Matt Warren told a class of Ohio state troopers at the Highway Patrol Academy. "You're going to have to look beyond the crime and see these people as they are -- victims."

If you are arrested for prostitution, break the cycle of victimization. Contact the experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys at Rodriguez, Lewis & Kahn. Fluent Spanish spoken.

Prostitution and solicitation are embarrassing crimes to be charged with, and only skilled Los Angeles prostitution defense attorneys know how to battle in court on behalf of their clients. Recently, law enforcement in Los Angeles has taken a different angle in prosecuting and punishing those individuals charged with solicitation. Solicitation, also known as Solicitation for Prostitution, the act of directing or asking someone to exchange money for sexual activity is defined under Section 647(b) of the California Penal Code. Those arrested for soliciting a prostitute are known as "johns."

Los Angeles has begun a "john" school, a new effort by law enforcement officials to stem prostitution in Los Angeles. Built on the belief that a heavy dose of in-your-face shame and scare tactics can do more to dissuade men from looking to the streets for gratification than traditional punishment, the class -- think traffic school with higher stakes -- offers first-time offenders leniency in exchange for a promise that they will change their ways. It is the latest example of how prosecutors and police around the country are rethinking their strategies in the age-old battle against prostitution.

Launched recently by the Los Angeles city attorney's office, the Prostitution Diversion Program currently targets only those johns nabbed by the LAPD along a cheerless stretch of Figueroa Boulevard pockmarked by liquor stores and cheap motels -- one of the city's epicenters for street-walking prostitutes. There are tentative plans to expand the class citywide if the pilot program proves successful.

Last month's class of johns was a bland bunch. Most appeared to be in their 20s or 30s, with a few others approaching middle age. They wore jeans and inexpensive watches. A few wore wedding bands. A young, heavy-set man with sad eyes and a meek voice slumped in a folding chair, seemingly plucked from an office cubicle. Behind him, two others in baseball caps sat silently with their arms crossed and lips pursed. Sitting alone in the front row, another earnestly took notes in a leather-bound binder.

Not everyone is eligible for john school. A man cannot have prior arrests for prostitution, drugs or violent crimes on his rap sheet and must be willing to submit to an HIV blood test. Each john shells out $600 to cover the cost of the class. In exchange, the men get a free pass -- of sorts. Dawson keeps the misdemeanor solicitation charges hanging over the men's heads for a year. If a john doesn't get arrested again trying to pick up a hooker, his file is closed. He avoids the typical sentence of 15 days in County Jail and a conviction on his record, not to mention the thousands of dollars in legal fees associated with a day in court.

Your first line of defense is to contact a skilled California criminal attorney right away. Your lawyer will evaluate the evidence and witnesses, question the appropriate persons, and work with you on building your case. The criminal defense attorneys at Stephen G. Rodriguez and Associates will act immediately to preserve any evidence favorable to the defense.a

It was like an 'Angie's List' for hookers. Before legal authorities pulled the plug this week, a Columbus, Ohio man was operating a prostitution site on Craigslist, the popular free Internet classified ads website. On a website created by Christopher Johnson, customers were able to post reviews about hookers they had hired through Craigslist ads. Johnson set up a $10 raffle for his website members offering free sex with the top-rated prostitute.

Attorney generals in 40 states have joined interim Ohio Attorney General Nancy Rogers in cracking down on illegal prostitution postings on Craigslist. This is not the first time Craigslist has been under fire from law enforcement officials for running prostitution ads. The website has been cooperating with legal authorities across the U.S. to implement new measures to stop the promotion of illegal prostitution and sex services in Ohio, Los Angeles and across the country. Under the new agreement with the Ohio Attorney General, Craigslist will collect a $5 credit card fee from anyone posting an erotic-services ad. Those records will be available to law enforcement officers.

Johnson is out on $25,000 bond after being charged with one felony count of promoting prostitution. An academic advising coordinator for the Ohio State University College of Nursing for the past three years and an OSU employee since 2003, Johnson has been placed on unpaid leave and is under investigation by the University. The prize for Johnson's raffle, Vanise Dunn, pleaded not guilty to a charge of prostitution, a misdemeanor. A caseworker with Franklin County Children Services for 8 years, Dunn investigates charges of child sexual abuse. She is on paid leave while awaiting trial.

In California, solicitation for prostitution, also called solicitation or prostitution, is a misdemeanor, but pandering or pimping is a felony. Ads in newspapers and on Internet sites like Craigslist that offer the services of a "masseuse," "personal escort" or "call girl" are usually fronts for prostitution services. In California, it's a criminal offense to both provide sex for payment and receive sex for payment. In large cities like Los Angeles where prostitution is rampant, law enforcement agencies employ undercover techniques to catch violators and vigorously prosecute both prostitutes and the people who purchase their services. Penalties include jail, probation, fines, public embarrassment and loss of employment.

If you are charged with prostitution, solicitation, pandering or another sex crime, contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the law office of Rodriguez, Lewis & Kahn.

AnEagleRockHigh Schoolfootball coach allegedly was assaulted by a disgruntled former player who graduated last year, officials said Friday. It was the latest episode in a series of conflicts related to the firing of the previous head coach. The coach was bending down to pick up a ball when a young man struck him from behind during practice Thursday afternoon, witnesses told school Principal Salvador Velasco. The coach, who used his walkie-talkie to alert school officials, suffered minor injuries, Velasco said. Assault is "the unlawful attempt to violently injure another person." Threats and attempts to physically injure someone qualify as an assault. Assault and Battery cases range from simple confrontations and bar fights to domestic violence and assault and battery with a deadly weapon. UnderCaliforniacriminal law, charges for these offenses range from misdemeanors to felonies, and include:

• Assault: (simple Assault) an unlawful attempt, coupled with present ability to commit a violent injury upon another person. Can only be charged as a misdemeanor.
• Assault on a police officer: an unlawful attempt to commit a violent injury upon a police office, firefighter, EMT, or code enforcement officer.
• Assault with a Deadly Weapon: using a weapon (other than a firearm) of any kind by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury (GBI). Can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony. A conviction for this offense may be considered a 'Strike" under the California Three Strikes Law. Use of a car as a deadly weapon could mean lifetime revocation of your California Driver's License.
• Assault with a firearm: an assault on another person with a firearm. Can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony.

It's appalling when the very people charged with protecting society abuse their powers and cause harm to the people they are assigned to protect. Some would argue that it happens every day in Washington, but it's an unusual occurrence when the perpetrator is a member of the Los Angeles Police Department. In October, LAPD Officer Russell Mecano, part of the West LA Patrol Division, was indicted by the Los Angeles County Grand Jury for sex crimes committed or initiated while on duty and in uniform.

Mecano was immediately arrested and is out on bail awaiting his December 12 arraignment. LAPD has relieved the officer of his police powers and assigned him to his home pending the outcome of criminal and LAPD internal affairs proceedings. Mecano was indicted on four charges:

• Solicitation of prostitution


• Sexual battery by unlawful restraint


• Penetration by a foreign object by a public official


• Penetration by a foreign object under duress

An 18-year-old woman has accused Mecano of offering to trade sex for squashing her arrest. Stopped for possession of drug paraphernalia, Mecano allegedly told the woman he would not arrest her if she had sex with him. She has accused him of sexually assaulting her near the Palisades Branch Library and said he also ordered her to meet him at a motel later. The distraught young woman reported the incident to officers at the West Los Angeles police station.

LAPD is asking other victims or anyone with information to contact Internal Affairs investigators toll free at 800-339-6868 or the LAPD 24-hour tip line at 877-LAPD 24-7 (877-527-3247). Victims may be asked to identify their attacker from a photo lineup.

Sex crimes are vigorously prosecuted in Los Angeles and California. Sex offenses include rape, prostitution, child molestation, indecent exposure, solicitation, pornography and sodomy. If you are accused of or charged with committing a sex crime, it is important that you immediately consult with a skilled criminal defense lawyer with experience in litigating sex crimes. The penalties for conviction of a sex crime are serious and life changing. Early legal representation can be critical in providing the best defense.

In the dramatic break-up of a major national sex trafficking ring this week, 47 children aged 13 to 17 were rescued. All but one were female. The FBI coordinated the arrests of more than 600 adults in 29 U.S. cities to break up 12 major prostitution rings that forced children into prostitution. The rings operated out of truck stops, casinos, websites and call services.

"Sex trafficking of children remains one of our most violent and unconscionable crimes in this country," said FBI Deputy Director John Pistole. This week's operation was part of a five-year nationwide initiative that has led to the recovery of 575 children and the destruction of 36 prostitution operations since June 2003.

In California, sexual assault and sexual exploitation with a child under the age of 14 are classified as child molestation or child abuse and are felonies. Society considers child molestation and child abuse such heinous crimes that even those wrongly accused can be run out of their community or thrown out of their profession in the wave of hate and suspicion that follows such accusations.

Under California law, Section 288(a), "any person who commits a lewd or lascivious act on a child under the age of 14 is guilty of a felony punishable in the state prison for 3 to 8 years." Lewd and lascivious acts are defined as touching to arouse, appeal to or gratify the sexual desires of either party. However, touching is not a required element for conviction. Each act of sexual misconduct with a child constitutes one charge. Multiple acts, even if committed in the same instance, increase the state prison sentence to 6 to 16 years. Conviction can also require lifelong registration as a child sex offender which can severely limit community tolerance, housing options and job opportunities.

When sexual crimes are committed against children aged 14 to 17, the perpetrator can be charged with prostitution. In California, prostitution (also called solicitation) is generally charged as a misdemeanor, while pandering (also called pimping) is charged as a felony. Both the provider and user of sexual services can be arrested under California law.

Although most prostitution charges involve female prostitutes with male clients, prostitution charges can apply to either gender, whether the parties are heterosexual or homosexual. Prostitution and pandering charges can carry stiff fines, court-ordered counseling, physical labor with Cal Trans, loss of professional license, loss of government and security clearances, and jail time. Communities often demonize prostitution, causing law enforcement officers and prosecutors to pursue prostitution charges aggressively.

Solicitation, also known as Solicitation for Prostitution, is the act of directing or asking someone to exchange money for sexual activity, as defined under Section 647(b) of the California Penal Code.

A Los Angeles police officer is under investigation for allegedly trying to force women he met while on duty to have sex with him, law enforcement sources said. A patrol officer, who was arrested earlier this week, reportedly tried to force women to have sex with him while he was on duty. He is free on $127,000 bail.

Police officials confirmed that the officer, an eight-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of soliciting a sex act, but declined to release further details in the case, saying a judge had ordered that court records in the ongoing probe remain secret. Specifically, the judge has ordered that a criminal indictment against the officer be sealed.

Two law enforcement sources familiar with the case said the alleged victims were young women the officer had met while on duty last summer. The sources said that the officer allegedly attempted to coerce women to engage in sex acts with him in exchange for not pursuing some sort of law enforcement action against them.

In one incident, detectives were investigating allegations that the officer sexually assaulted a woman behind a building, sources said. In another incident, he allegedly tried to force a woman to go to a motel with him, the sources said.

PENALTIES
The range of penalties for a Solicitation or Prostitution charge can include:

• Community Service


• County Jail


• Probation


• AIDS Testing


• Fines


• Counseling (court-enforced)


• Cal Trans (physical labor)


• Loss of employment for those with licenses or government / security clearances


• Jail Enhancements: Additional jail time for defendants with prior related criminal charges

Many people don't think much about flirting in internet chat rooms on companionship sites, but take it to the next level and you could wind up charged with prostitution, solicitation or pandering (pimping). The lack of actual face time typical of internet liaisons seems to be an invitation to lie -- about height, weight, interests, marital status, age and often intent. People reinvent themselves as the person they want to be. Their unsuspecting chat room buddy has no way of seeing through their virtual disguise. That charming person you so blithely pour your heart out to over the internet could be a prostitute, pimp, sexual predator or cop. In fact, these days law enforcement officers regularly use the internet to entrap sexual predators preying on children and teens.

Websites offering companionship services and online personal ads may in reality be cover ups for prostitution. Incidents have become so numerous that law enforcement agencies are targeting online personal ads that appear on CraigsList.org in prostitution sting operations. The unsuspecting and honest can be easily duped by these internet Lolitas and Lotharios. The loneliness common among harried, single professionals who yearn for a relationship but have no time to date can make them easy targets for sexual lies and predation. Seniors who are socially isolated, particularly after the death of a spouse, are even more at risk.

When a face-to-face meeting is eventually arranged, trusting souls eager for companionship may fail to adequately protect themselves from harsh reality. They may not realize until too late that the "friend" they are meeting is in reality a prostitute, pimp or sexual predator. They not only place themselves at risk during such a meeting, but may be unwittingly trapped in a police sting operation.

California aggressively prosecutes both the prostitute and the "John." Innocent citizens with no criminal history can find themselves accused and arrested for prostitution or solicitation through simple naivete or by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You suffer public humiliation and the loss of your reputation. Penalties can include jail time, a criminal record, fines, loss of employment and certain licenses, loss of government or security clearances, and more. If you are being investigated or charged with prostitution, you should immediately contact a skilled criminal defense attorney.

San Francisco, one of America's leading cities in terms of pushing the legal envelope, has a proposition on its most recent ballot that would decriminalize prostitution - by prohibiting the city from arresting prostitutes - which will allegedly make it easier for sex workers to report violence to the police and improve public health. The decriminalization of prostitution was the main recommendation of the citywide San Francisco Task Force on Prostitution more than 10 years ago.

A recent UCSF study found that 1 out of 7 sex workers in San Francisco were threatened with arrest by police officers unless they had sex with them, and 1 out of 5 reported that police officers paid them for sex.

The California State Bar supports the Proposition, for the following reasons:

• Decriminalizing prostitution and establishing regulations for safer sex practices of those engaged in prostitution will have a positive impact on public health.

• Regulation of prostitution would also reduce violence and other associated criminal behavior.

The laws against prostitution identify the following offenses:

• Solicitation - the act of directing or asking someone to exchange money for sexual activity


• Prostitution - the act of exchanging money for sexual activity


• Pandering - the crime committed by a "pimp"


• Loitering - to linger without a lawful reason for the purpose of committing a crime or engaging in prostitution

These prostitution related offenses are punishable by the following penalties:

• Community Service


• County Jail


• Probation


• AIDS Testing


• Fines


• Counseling (court-enforced)


• Cal Trans (physical labor)


• Loss of employment for those with licenses or government / security clearances


• Jail Enhancements: Additional jail time for defendants with prior related criminal charges

In November, San Francisco residents could give Red Light districts the green light if they approve Proposition K. Being heralded as the legalization of prostitution, Prop K would decriminalize prostitution and change the way the city enforces prostitution laws.

Parties on both sides of the debate have been vocal in their arguments. Proponents say Prop K would improve the safety of prostitutes. "Workers would like it if crimes like rape, robbery, theft and coercion were vigorously investigated and prosecuted," said Maxine Doogan of the Erotic Service Providers Union. "We want the right to make reports of crimes against us without being retaliated against by the police department."

The California STD Controllers' Association believes decriminalization will reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. "Studies have shown that sex workers in decriminalized or legal settings are healthier, suffer less personal violence and are more likely to practice safer sex with their clients," said Association President Jeffrey Klausner, MD.

Opponents fear that Prop K will make it impossible to reign in the sex trade. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said the measure would severely restrict the city's ability to investigate and prosecute sex trafficking. Under Prop K, the city would be prohibited from using law enforcement resources to investigate or prosecute prostitution or spend money on sex-traffic investigations involving racial profiling.

"This measure is nothing more than a welcome mat for prostitutes and pimps to come and hang out in San Francisco," charged the city's District Attorney Kamala Harris. "It would make it very challenging to investigate and prosecute human trafficking. We need to use police resources to investigate where there is a suspicion that women and children, in particular immigrants, are being exploited."

Prostitution is a crime in California. Prop K calls upon the home powers provided to charter-created counties like San Francisco under Article XI of the California Constitution to circumvent state law, stating that home powers allow "counties to enact laws that exclusively apply to residents within their borders, even when such a law conflicts with state law or when state law is silent." If approved, Prop K would go into effect on January 1, 2009.

Until that occurs, prostitutes, their pimps and clients can still be prosecuted. If Prop K passes, prostitution will still be illegal outside of San Francisco County. It is unclear how internet prostitution, which has been the subject of an aggressive crackdown by Los Angeles County prosecutors, will be affected. Conviction of prostitution, solicitation or pandering can have life-changing consequences, including jail, probation, fines, physical labor, community service, loss of employment, loss of license and security clearance, and public humiliation. If you are charged with prostitution or any sex crime, seek the immediate help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

In a nationwide crackdown on child sex trafficking, at least 21 children were recovered and 345 people arrested, 290 of them adult prostitutes. Los Angeles, Oakland and Sacramento were among the 16 major metropolitan areas targeted in the recent 5-day sweep conducted by the FBI, Department of Justice and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A similar sweep five years ago rescued 433 children and led to the conviction of 308 defendants for prostitution, child prostitution, child pornography and conducting sex trade operations.

Dubbed "Operation Cross Country," the recently completed operation sought to expose child prostitution rings and rescue children being sold as sex slaves. Exposure of sex trade operations is problematic because their fluidity, explained Dave Dustin of the FBI. Criminal organizations move between states frequently to prevent detection. "These girls and boys sometimes are traded and going back and forth," said Dustin.

Teenage girls are particularly vulnerable, said Second Chance director Mary Schmidbauer. Second Chance supports the victims of prostitution. "One of the reasons that prostitution is as insidious as it is, girls are right at the age where they are seeking independence, becoming women. Someone comes along and treats them like an adult. (Prostitution) feeds on any insecurity that a teenage girls has."

Children caught in the sex trade -- child prostitutes and sex slaves -- are generally so manipulated by or fearful of the adults who control them that they don't realize law enforcement officers could help them. While many never have an opportunity to seek help, those who do may hide or flee from police believing that they are criminals.

In California, solicitation for prostitution is a misdemeanor; but pandering (also called pimping) is a felony charge. Both prostitute and "John" are aggressively prosecuted. However, children forced into prostitution are considered victims, not criminals. If you are arrested for prostitution or a sex crime, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can help you.

-LegalPro

A comment to our March 25 post, NY Prostitution Scandal Reveals Seamy Sex Politics, points out the power that sexual accusation has to destroy careers and personal credibility.

Reader Tomas objected to our reference to former U.S. Senator Gary Hart saying, "He was never even accused of a criminal act (if there was a criminal act, it was on the part of the reporters spying on him and invading his privacy.) Nor was anything ever proved."

Senator Hart was the clear frontrunner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when rumors surfaced of an extramarital affair with model Donna Rice. The press ran photos of Rice sitting on Hart's lap and dogged him with questions about infidelity. His wife, Lee, stood by him, saying the relationship was innocent. (Though they have separated twice over the years, the Harts have now been married for nearly 50 years.) Crucified in the press, the Hart-Rice sex scandal forced a bitter Hart to drop out of the presidential race. He returned to the practice of law; and while moderately active in politics, never again run for elected public office.

It does not take a charge or conviction to destroy a person's reputation. Just the accusation of sexual impropriety, prostitution or misconduct is enough to destroy politicians, business leaders, respected community leaders, teachers, Scoutmasters and ministers. Charges may be false but the damage to reputations, careers and social standings will have been done.

Tragedies don't just happen in the national arena. Sexual rumors in local communities can destroy community leaders and cause their families great emotional pain. An angry teen may accuse a parent of abuse. A confused child may misinterpret an adult's gesture of comfort. A jilted lover may accuse her partner in consensual sex of rape.

In America we are quick to condemn when charges of prostitution or sexual misconduct are levied. The press is quick to publish the accusations and charges. However, if charges are false and the accused is exonerated, the press is, too often, nowhere to be seen. The stench of the accusation may follow the innocent individual for the rest of his life.

Why do powerful men like recently disgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer turn to prostitution for sex? The answer is more complicated than boredom in the marital bed, says best-selling author Dave Zinczenko, editor of upscale magazine Men's Health. Feelings of power and invincibility cause high-profile men to seek high-priced sex from high-class prostitutes.

"They think their invincibility in the office will also extend to their private lives, which they assume will remain private no matter how high-profile they may be," explains Zinczenko. "Arrogance is a form of blindness, after all."

Politicians, corporate officers, actors, musicians and other celebrities have large sums of ready cash at their disposal for hotels, expensive dinners and classy call girls. They spend their day surrounded by people eager to stroke their ego and do their bidding. It seems natural, Zinczenko says, to want to extend that power into the bedroom. At home these powerful men "can feel like they're last in the family pecking order," explains Zinczenko. Their wife's attention is often focused on her own job, social commitments or children. Prostitution boosts the ego and the hormones, a dangerous combination.

In California, prostitution is classed as Disorderly Conduct. Under California Penal Code, both the prostitute and client can be charged with solicitation and prostitution. In California, it is a criminal offense both to provide sex in exchange for money and to receive sex in exchange for payment. If found guilty, you could face stiff penalties and end up with a criminal record.

To combat prostitution, California law enforcement officers use sting operations and prostitution ring breakups like the tactics that netted former governor Spitzer. Both prostitutes and their clients -- of either gender -- are aggressively prosecuted, particularly in Los Angeles County. While first-time offenses are usually charged as misdemeanors, subsequent offenses can be charged as felonies.