The authorities are aggressively fighting prostitution in Columbus and across the state of Ohio. In July of this year, the Columbus police conducted a two-day prostitution sting that resulted in the arrest of 43 women and 24 men. From a public policy perspective, the fight against prostitution is closely tied to the struggles against drug abusethe HIV epidemicand the scourge of human trafficking. The police arrest people from all walks of life for allegedly engaging in solicitation and prostitution.
According to Sargent Kelly Hamilton of the Dayton Police Department, the group included a post office worker, a foreign air force officer, a business owner and even a fellow police officer. Long gone are the days where the street was the primary marketplace for prostitution.
With the advent of the Internet and sites such as Craigslist and Back, both prostitutes and their prospective clients could set up meetings in relative safety. But now, the police have caught on.
The stings work in two ways. In other cases, the police create the Internet and then arrest the prospective customers when they show up and agree to exchange money for sex.
The police usually capture audio and video recordings of the encounter to substantiate the charges. No sexual activity needs to take place for criminal charges to apply.
For example, Ohio Code section If a police officer gains reasonable cause to believe you are soliciting, you could get arrested. Worse still, the conviction will become public information available to potential employers.
In the past, claiming entrapment was one of the most effective ways of defending a solicitation case. Entrapment occurs when the police implant a criminal idea in the mind of an otherwise law-abiding citizen. For example, a police officer posing as a prostitute walking down the street aggressively propositioning bystanders is committing entrapment. Unfortunately, this defense it usually not available to people who respond to .
Indeed, it is difficult to convince a judge or a jury of the entrapment theory when there is evidence that the defendant:. Please leave this field empty. Exact matches only.
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Luftman Joseph J. Kunkel Peter J. The Police Are Using Craigslist and Back to Fight Prostitution Long gone are the days where the street was the primary marketplace for prostitution. Call Now
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