Florida Criminal Attorney Blog
Apparently the Ocala, Marion County, Florida Prostitution business has gotten so unwieldy that a multi-agency taskforce was assembled to bring the Ocala sex trade to task. According to reports, seven men were arrested allegedly engaging in solicitation of undercover female officers for sex. The Ocala Police department reports that one gentleman offered $50 for sex.
Criminal defense lawyers, often legally fight arrests for Solicitation of Prostitution, with Motions to Dismiss or Motions to Suppress Evidence because of the many entrapment issues that can be raised during these arrests. Although entrapment defenses can come up in other types of cases like drug crimes, sex crimes and theft cases—many solicitation of prostitution arrests have also been thrown out where judges and prosecutors have agreed that some guys were not predisposed to commit a crime, except that the conduct of the persuading and manipulating undercover officer made it an unreasonable situation.
Prostitution has a structured sentencing for anyone with prior convictions. A misdemeanor of the second degree can be charged for the first offense and the State Attorney can charge a misdemeanor of the first degree on a second charge. For a third or subsequent violation, the State Attorney can charge a third degree felony.
If you have been charged with a crime in Ocala, Florida and would like free consultation, contact the criminal defense attorneys at Whittel & Melton by phone, 352-369-5334 or online.