Prostitution charges in the Atlanta area can be a big deal, and many local prosecutors are requiring jail time, even on a first offense prostitution charge. At Zeliff | Watson, we have defending many of these charges, and know what it takes to clear your record, and steer you clear of jail time.
Prostitution Laws in Georgia
Prostitution is illegal both under Georgia's state laws and also under many local ordinance violations in cities like Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, John's Creek, and the like. This means that you can be prosecuted under either state or local law, and maybe cut off on where you can fight your case.
To further explain, with most state-law charges like DUI, for instance, you can elect to have your case heard at the state court, rather than a city court. However, prosecutors in the Atlanta area will typically fight to have a local ordinance prostitution charge stay in the city, knowing they can ask for over inflated sentences to include jail and probation, among other conditions.
Getting Busted for Prostitution
Our firm has defended against about every combination of prostitution charge one can imagine; from a sting where cops respond to an ad, like Back page or Craig's List and call you to their location, to one where they come to you, and every combination in between, we have likely seen it and defended against it.
It is certainly important to have a team of attorneys who knows the ins and outs of fighting these cases, as you could have certain defenses like entrapment, and attacking the extent to which the cops followed their own protocols in the operation.
Prostitution v. Solicitation
While related, prostitution and solicitation are two distinct crimes under Georgia and local laws. Solicitation is charged if you believed to be attempting to pickup, or hire, sexual services from another. While the laws are different, and of course punish completely different conduct, prosecutors are tough on both, usually wanting probation and jail no matter the case.
When evaluating your case, we want to know the setup: Did the cops initiate the contact? Did money change hands? Were the cops disrespectful or abusive? Were you read your Miranda rights? How long were you detained at the scene? Did they take your phone and go through it?
It helps to write down all the events you remember shortly after the fact, and keep this in a safe place to share with your lawyer.
Our Team of Defense Lawyers
At Zeliff | Watson, we have over 20 combined years or experience defending criminal charges, including prostitution and similar charges. If you have been arrested, or are being contacted as part of an investigation, call us today to discuss how we would defend your case. We can be reached 24/7/365 at (770) 676-1340, or through the contact form on this website.