South Carolina law treats solicitation for sexual activities as prostitution, meaning that whether you pay for sexual activities or receive payment for sexual activities, the charge in South Carolina is the same: prostitution.
The Richland County Sherriff’s Department is looking for two individuals who solicited sexual activities from minors. The individuals, one male and one female, each approached their victims in a non-sexual manner at first, attempting to lure the children to their vehicles with requests for help. The male accused of solicitation also exposed himself to the minor in his situation. These individuals, if caught, will be charged with criminal solicitation of a minor and/or prostitution (if not other crimes), even though the sexual act did not take place.
Being convicted of prostitution is a serious offense. On top of stiff penalties and possible jail time (up to $3,000.00 and one year in prison), it creates a mark on your criminal record that can interfere with your ability to hold certain jobs or even be approved to rent or lease from certain landlords. This is many times the more damaging of the outcomes.
It is uncommon that police will have direct evidence of prostitution unless they were working undercover in some fashion. Due to this, most Solicitors (the State’s attorneys) must rely on circumstantial evidence or hope that the other party to the prostitution will testify on behalf of the State. In this instance, the individuals on the receiving end of the solicitation were minors, meaning the Solicitor will have their testimony which will provide strong first-person evidence.
“Being charged with criminal solicitation of a minor or prostitution is a life altering event for both the accuser and the accused,” said Dayne Phillips, a Richland criminal defense attorney who represents individuals accused of solicitation. “It is an event that can damage someone’s standing in his or her community and can place significant barriers in front of them in terms of their ability to obtain gainful employment. Choosing an experienced lawyer’s assistance in preparing a sold defense to any such charges is crucial for anyone seeking to avoid a conviction.”
