Prostitution is giving or receiving any kind of sexual activity for hire. This does not include sexual activity with a spouse. In the state of Florida, it is unlawful for a person to compel, coerce, or force another person to become a prostitute. If a person compels, coerces, or forces another person to become a prostitute, he or she will be charged with a third degree felony. In Florida, it is unlawful for a person to obtain support from engaging in prostitution.
If you or someone you know has been charged with a related crime, contact an experienced Tampa prostitution defense attorney at Pallegar Law, P. If a person is found engaging in prostitution for the first time, he or she is charged with a second degree felony. If a person is found engaging in prostitution for the second time, he or she is charged with a first degree felony.
If a person is found engaging in prostitution a third time, or anything beyond, he or she is charged with a first degree felony and a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years. In order to explore your options, call an aggressive Tampa prostitution defense attorney to avoid a mandatory minimum sentence. In Florida, a person is charged with a second degree misdemeanor if he or she maintains, owns, established, or operates a structure for the purpose of prostitution, assignation, or lewdness, offers, receives, solicits, commits or purchases the services of a prostitute, transports or agrees to transport someone to a structure for the purpose of prostitution, enters or remains in any structure for the purpose of prostitution, assignation, or lewdness, or participates in any acts of lewdness or prostitution for the first time.
If a person is found violating any of these unlawful acts a second time, he or she is charged with a first degree misdemeanor. If a person is found violating any of these unlawful acts a third time, or anything beyond, he or she is charged with a third degree felony and offered entrance into a pretrial intervention program or a substance abuse treatment program. If a person entices, induces, or solicits another person to commit prostitution, assignation, or lewdness, in addition to the penalties above, he or she must also complete community service hours and attend and pay for educational programs about the negative effects prostitution and human trafficking have.
The court will also sentence him or her to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten days if this was the second offense, or more, committed and may impound his or her vehicle for up to sixty days.
