Netcong Prostitution Defense Attorney
Criminal Lawyers in Morris County, New Jersey
NJ Prostitution and Promoting Prostitution 2C:34-1
A prostitution conviction can carry a severe stigma that will last for the rest of your life. If you are convicted of prostitution or promoting prostitution in New Jersey, you could be looking at serious jail time. But the nightmare won’t end when you are released from jail because you will have to live with a prostitution conviction on your permanent criminal record. The good news is that an experienced prostitution defense lawyer can help you potentially beat the charges against you and avoid the most serious consequences of a prostitution conviction.
The Morris County criminal defense attorneys at the Tormey Law Firm represent clients charged with sex-related offenses, including prostitution, lewdness, and endangering the welfare of a child. Our attorneys have defended clients against sex charges throughout New Jersey, including in Dover, Denville, Morristown, Netcong, Parsippany, Rockaway, and Madison. In fact, our firm’s founding partner, Travis J. Tormey, has been cited as a legal authority on Megan’s Law by the Asbury Park Press and was recently quoted in the Bergen Record regarding the rise of luring incidents in the Bergen County area. If you’ve been charged with prostitution or promoting prostitution in Morris County or elsewhere in New Jersey, contact the Tormey Law Firm 24 hours a day at (908) 336-5008 or toll-free at 866-949-6948, or use the online contact form to schedule an appointment.
Prostitution and Promoting Prostitution Charges in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1
In New Jersey, prostitution and promoting prostitution offenses are governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1, which provides, in pertinent part:
b. A person commits an offense if:
(1) The actor engages in prostitution;
(2) The actor promotes prostitution;
(3) The actor knowingly promotes prostitution of a child under 18 whether or not the actor mistakenly believed that the child was 18 years of age or older, even if such mistaken belief was reasonable;
(4) The actor knowingly promotes prostitution of the actors child, ward, or any other person for whose care the actor is responsible;
(5) The actor compels another to engage in or promote prostitution;
(6) The actor promotes prostitution of the actors spouse; or
(7) The actor knowingly engages in prostitution with a person under the age of 18, or if the actor enters into or remains in a house of prostitution for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 18, or if the actor solicits or requests a child under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. It shall be no defense to a prosecution under this paragraph that the actor mistakenly believed that the child was 18 years of age or older, even if such mistaken belief was reasonable.
Penalties for Prostitution Charges in New Jersey
Typically, prostitution in New Jersey is a disorderly persons offense, punishable by any or all of the following:
- Up to six (6) months in the county jail.
- Up to a $1,000 fine.
- A permanent criminal charge on your record.
However, promoting prostitution can also be classified as a third degree indictable offense, which is punishable by three (3) to five (5) years in NJ State Prison. And, if the prostitution involved a minor (someone under the age of 18), this becomes a second degree crime punishable by five (5) to 10 years in state prison. It is important to note that it does not matter if the person knew that the individual was a minor.
Contact a Morristown Promoting Prostitution Lawyer for a Free Consultation
As you can see, the penalties for promoting prostitution and prostitution New Jersey can be severe. It is imperative that you have an experienced NJ sex crimes defense attorney to combat these charges. Do not hesitate to contact the Tormey Law Firm in Morris County today at 866-949-6948 to discuss your specific case and receive a free consultation.
