South Carolina - Pimping, Pandering, Patronizing, & Prostitution - Criminal Defense Lawyer

The 4 Ps of Prostituion. Pimping - to make money from prostitution, Pampering - to facilitate the illicit activity, Patronizing - to soliticite a prostitute, and Prostitution itself are all illegal activities under South Carolina law. Exchanging money for sex is illegal. A person can be charged for this simple definition but they can also be facing charges for situations that fall outside the traditional definition.

Being engaged in pimping, pandering, and/or running a brothel is also criminalized in South Carolina. Regardless of which section of Section 16-15-90 or 16-15-100 a possibility of jail, fines, and a mark on your criminal record are all possibilities. In South Carolina both the patron and the worker are punished equally under the law. This means that depending on the offense (for example if it is not the 1st offense) both people would face the same consequences if convicted. If you’ve been charged with any of these violations you need a criminal defense lawyer by your side. There is a potential for a life-changing situation if these charges lead to convictions. Even if you do not have a prior criminal record you should not take these situations lightly. We handle all of our cases with the highest level of professionalism, diligence, and discretion.

We have worked with countless individuals in South Carolina. If you are located anywhere in Berkeley County contact us today to set up a consultation.

Shaun Kent and his team have a proven track record. In the toughest situation, he has helped his clients overcome. Find out more by clicking below.

We are confident we can fight and defend your rights. We have a detailed understanding of South Carolina Law and legal procedures and we know how to use that knowledge to seek a good outcome.

Prostitution and related offenses in South Carolina

Prostitution

As we mentioned above, this act is illegal. It is defined as:

  • Exposing oneself indicently for the purpose of prostitution or
  • Residing in any place (structure, building, vehicle, trailer, etc) for the purpose of prostitution.

Pimping, Pandering, and Soliciting

Pimping is defined as profiting from prostitution. This can be either through finding clients for the service or controlling the workers. It is the act of profiting off of the service. 

Pandering is the aiding/facilitating of the service. This is commonly known as the procurement of prostitutes. 

These are defined under the law as:

  • keep or set up a house of ill fame, brothel or bawdyhouse
  • aid or abet prostitution knowingly
  • procure or solicit for the purpose of prostitution
  • direct, take or transport, offer or agree to take or transport or aid or assist in transporting any person to any vehicle, conveyance, trailer, place, structure or building or to any other person with knowledge or having reasonable cause to believe that the purpose of such directing, taking or transporting is prostitution, lewdness or assignation, or
  • lease or rent or contract to lease or rent any vehicle, conveyance, trailer, place, structure or building, or part thereof believing or having reasonable cause to believe that it is intended to be used for any of the purposes herein prohibited.

Potential Punishment for Prostitution in SC

All of the above-mentioned violations are misdemeanor offenses. The severity of the consequences depends on whether it is a first-time offense or a repeat offense. Even though prostitution or the related crimes are not felonies they still need to be taken seriously. Fines, jail time, and a stain on a person’s reputation are all still on the table. 

A first-time offense carries the possibility of up to 30 days in jail, a $200 fine, or both. A second-time offense carries heavier penalties. These are the possibility of a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. 

A third-time offense is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

Felony Prostitution Offenses

While the charges we have covered so far have all been misdemeanors of varying severity there is the possibility of a felony offense being brought forward.

This is through SC Code § 16-15-335. If a person older than 18 years of age engages in procuring, assisting, employing, or permitting prostitution by someone under the age of 18 then they can face a felony charge. This charge means up to 10 years of imprisonment and up to $5,000 in fines. 

As with most sexual crimes involving legal minors the registration into the state’s Sex Offender Registry is mandatory if you are found guilty of violating this statute.

Possible Defense Strategies

Each case is unique. Depending on your situation a criminal defense lawyer could present a set of strategies and advise you on the best possible route. The following strategies are not to be taken as legal advice. 

  • Miranda Rights Violations: An entire criminal case will probably not be dropped if someone is not read their Miranda Rights. But, everything that was said during the custodial interrogation can be dropped from the evidence. A criminal defense lawyer can investigate and argue this in your favor. 
  • Entrapment: If a police investigation lead to an arrest for prostitution or one of the related violations, then there could be the possibility that there was entrapment. Entrapment is when police illegally set someone up to break the law.

Contact Us Today

Contacting a criminal defense lawyer is the best course of action if you are facing criminal charges. If you or someone you know is facing prostitution charges you need to seek the proper legal counsel. 

Personal Injury

We seek the maximum compensation a victim can receive for his or her serious injuries.

Criminal Defense

Shaun Kent understands what it takes to put together a successful prosecution–and how to defend against them.

Workers Compensation

Workers’ compensation laws are designed to compensate you for any injuries you receive on the job.