Illinois laws set out several separate criminal offenses related to the act of prostitution. The charge that you may face depends on your role in the situation—such as whether you were the prostitute, panderer, or pimp. Each different charge comes with different classifications of misdemeanor or felony, and different penalties arise depending on the details of each individual case. The following are some brief explanations of prostitution-related crimes in Chicago, Illinois.
Prostitution—Offering to perform or actually performing an act of sexual penetration, oral sex, or touching or fondling of the sexual organs in exchange for anything of value, including money, tokens, property, and more. This offense is a Class A misdemeanor or a Class 4 felony if within 1000 feet of any school property.
Solicitation of a sexual act—Offering any person who is not your spouse anything of value, including money, tokens, property, or more, in exchange for sexual touching, fondling, or an act of sexual penetration. Soliciting a sexual act is generally charged as a Class B misdemeanor.
Patronizing a prostitute—Participating in a sex act with a prostitute, or entering a place where prostitution happens in with intentions of sexual acts. Patronizing a prostitute is a Class 4 felony or a Class 3 felony if within 1000 feet of any school property. If you patronize a prostitute who is mentally disabled or under the age of 18, it is a Class 3 felony or a Class 2 felony if within 1000 feet of a school.
Promoting Prostitution—You may be charged with promoting a prostitute if a prosecutor believes that you made arrangements for someone to practice prostitution or if you coerced someone into becoming a prostitute by force. You may also be charged for advancing prostitution by allowing prostitution to take place on your property, pointing someone in the direction of a prostitute, or persuading someone to participate in prostitution. This is a Class 4 felony or a Class 1 felony if a mentally disabled person or minor is involved. You can be charged with a Class X felony if a prosecutor suspects you of promoting minors in prostitution within 1000 feet of a school, or that you used violence, threats, deception, or alcohol or drugs to force a minor into prostitution. A Class X felony is the highest charge in Illinois aside from first degree murder and may carry a sentence of 6-60 years in prison depending on the circumstances of a particular case.
As you can see, prostitution-related charges may escalate and carry severe penalties. There are available defenses to prostitution charges, and an experienced criminal defense lawyer can help you build an aggressive defense in order to limit or eliminate the penalties you face.
If you have been arrested or are facing any prostitution-related charge or any other type of criminal offense, experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney Steven Goldman can help you. Do not hesitate to call Goldman & Associates today, as someone is waiting to talk to you 24/7.
