This past weekend Polk County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sting operation that resulted in 61 arrests, including arrests for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution, as well as derriving proceeds from prostitution. The sting was conducted online with officers posing as prostitues as well as potential ‘clients.’ Both of these crimes are misdemeanor criminal offenses carrying […]
On January 1, 1999 the Florida legislature shocked people by enacting the Jimmy Ryce Act. The Act defined people as “sexually violent predators” and allowed for people to be involuntarily and indefinitely civilly committed based off an abnormality that needed to be treated. The crux in this Act, allowed for the person to finish their […]
Technology is evolving daily. With improvements in computers and cell phones, sexting has become very prevalent in society today. In Florida, sexting may be considered a crime if committed by a minor. Under Florida statute, a minor may face penalties for sexting, ranging from a noncriminal offence and community service hours, a misdemeanor in the […]
Have you been charged with a federal crime related to prostitution? When a person (male or female) under the age of eighteen is transported across state lines for the purpose of committing sexual acts, the accused will likely be charged in federal court. The exploitation of children for prostitution / human trafficking purposes are matters […]
Don’t just plea guilty if you are charged with solicitation of prostitution in Florida or you will get smacked with a $5,000 fine! Florida recently changed the penalty for solicitation of prostitution to include a huge fine. The good news? Your attorney may be able to get the state to amend the charge against you […]
We have all seen the TV shows and heard the news reports of people being arrested in sting operations designed to catch adults using the internet to meet minors for sex. What we don’t see is what happened before that person arrived at the residence. Often times it was law enforcement that lured, enticed, or […]
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has announced a huge sting operation that ended yesterday resulting in 41 arrests for the crime of traveling to meet a minor. This is a serious sex crime in Florida that carries harsh penalties, including prison time, fines, and life time sex offender status. If you were charged in this […]
Beginning in 2013, the “civil penalty” for solicitation of prostitution has been increased from $500.00 to $5,250.00. This astronomical hike in price was obviously created as a tax / deterrent to prevent people from soliciting a prostitute. This means that if you plea to solicitation, you will be required to pay this huge fine! This […]
Under City of Tampa Code Section 14-30, vehicles used in prostitution or misdemeanor drug (marijuana) busts can be impounded by the City. The impounding officer completes a form called “Notice of Impoundment of Motor Vehicle” and provides a copy to the person accused of the crime. Once the intake procedure at the intake lot […]
Thirty-five men were arrested over the past several days during a week-long sting to catch alleged Internet child sex predators. “Operation Green Shepherd II,” a follow-up to the 43-arrest sting operation of the same core name conducted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office in September, once again involved undercover officers posing as children age 14 […]
