Patronizing prostitution is a crime in Tennessee. It is defined as soliciting or hiring another person with the intent that the other person engage in prostitution, or entering or remaining in a house of prostitution for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
The way this law is written, it’s very broad and very much in favor of the state. To be charged, you don’t have to actually have sex with a prostitute or even pay money. If you simply agree on a price that’s enough. It’s really a very low standard.
Patronizing prostitution is a Class B misdemeanor, although if committed within 100 feet of a church or one and a half miles from a school it’s a class A misdemeanor which carries a mandatory minimum seven days in jail. If it involves a person under 18 years of age it can be prosecuted as a human trafficking offense and is a Class A or B felony. This is a very serious charge which carries substantial prison time.
The police frequently conduct mass sting operations in which they ensnare men in these charges. They purposefully put the location near a school (usually a hotel) so they can charge them with the more serious class A variety, and sometimes will have the decoy lie about their age so they can charge the human trafficking felony offense. Patronizing prostitution is a very serious crime, and if convicted you can lose your job, your family, your freedom. These are delicate matters which must be handled the right way. Attorney Patrick Stegall has helped many men in this situation. Contact him today, and let him put his experience to work for you.
