Los Angeles Prostitution Attorney

California Penal Code Section 647(b)

There are various behaviors where a defendant can be charged with prostitution:

• Solicitation of prostitution means to urge, induce or entice another individual to engage in the act of prostitution. You must have the specific intent to engage in the act along with an act of furtherance of prostitution. This means more than just verbally accepting prostitution. For example, allowing a prostitute to enter your vehicle for the intent purpose of driving to a location to engage in sexual activity and paying money that had been agreed upon. The customer, or "john," and the prostitute can be arrested.


• Agreement to engage in prostitution is when an individual makes a verbal agreement to engage in the act of prostitution and did so with the specific intent to engage in the act. For example, driving to a location where the prostitution will occur or giving the money agreed upon to the prostitute.


• Engaging in the act of prostitution means to willfully engage in sexual intercourse or any other type of lewd act in exchange for money. A lewd act is touching the genitals, buttocks, or female breasts, or buttocks by the prostitute or customer for the purpose of sexual gratification of either individual.

Loitering for Prostitution

Under California Penal Code Section 653.22, it is a crime for a person to delay, linger in a public place where they did not have a lawful purpose for being there and their specific intent was to commit prostitution. In Los Angeles, this is a common law used by police to arrest prostitutes for loitering. For example, if a prostitute repeatedly stops, beckons, or engages in conversations with people passing by in a manner that indicted they are soliciting prostitution. This law also applies if they attempt to stop vehicles by waving, calling out, or gesturing to drivers or passengers to engage in conversation in a manner that indicates a solicitation of prostitution act.

Contact a Prostitution Lawyer in Los Angeles

Despite the fact that a prostitution charge is a misdemeanor sex crime offense, the social consequences of such a conviction can be damaging and broad. Your reputation within your community, as well as your relationships with your family, friends, business associates and colleagues can suffer.

Because the consequences can be so severe, it is highly advisable that you are represented by a highly skilled and aggressive prostitution crime defense attorney who can negotiate effectively with prosecuting attorneys and law enforcement officials on your behalf. The legal team at the top-ranked firm of Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin works tirelessly to achieve the best possible results in your matter, whether that occurs during the negotiation process or in a trial in front of a jury.

With over five decades of combined years of experience working in criminal law, we have extensive experience defending individuals facing all types of charges, including prostitution. Because our lawyers are former prosecutors, we understand what the prosecution needs to build their case, so we know what it will take to break their case down.

Contact a Los Angeles prostitution attorney today for aggressive defense against your charges and to protect your freedom.