Prostitution Lawyer in Baltimore County, Maryland
Experienced Defense Against Prostitution and Solicitation Charges in Towson and Baltimore County
If you or a loved one has been charged with prostitution, assignation, or solicitation in Baltimore County, Maryland, you face a criminal misdemeanor under Title 11, Subtitle 3 of the Criminal Law Article. A conviction for engaging in prostitution or for soliciting it can mean up to one year in jail and a $500 fine. Related charges—receiving earnings from prostitution, allowing a building or vehicle to be used, abducting a child under 16, or sex trafficking—carry far higher exposure. These cases are often the product of an undercover operation. A completed sexual act is not required.
At Shepard Law in Towson, principal attorney Stephen P. Shepard provides client-centered and compassionate criminal defense representation to individuals facing prostitution and solicitation charges throughout Baltimore County. With more than a decade of dedicated service defending clients in Towson, Essex, Catonsville, and surrounding communities, our firm focuses on understanding your unique circumstances and protecting your future with thoughtful, personalized advocacy.
Take the Next Step – Contact Shepard Law Today
A prostitution or solicitation charge in Baltimore County requires prompt, confidential legal guidance. The earlier you reach out, the better we can review the charging document, the undercover recording if one exists, and whether the State has charged a simple misdemeanor or a trafficking-related felony.
Call Shepard Law at (410) 648-4008 or complete our secure online contact form for a free, confidential consultation. We also offer jail visits for a fee when needed. Attorney Stephen P. Shepard is prepared to listen carefully to your story, explain your rights, and provide the client-centered and compassionate representation you deserve.
How Maryland Defines Prostitution, Assignation, and Solicitation
Criminal Law § 11-301 supplies the definitions that control every count in this subtitle:
- “Prostitution” is the performance of a sexual act, sexual contact, or vaginal intercourse for hire.
- “Assignation” is the making of an appointment or engagement for prostitution, or any act in furtherance of that appointment or engagement.
- “Solicit” means urging, advising, inducing, encouraging, requesting, or commanding another.
Those definitions are why an agreement to meet, a text exchange, or an offer of money can be charged even when nothing else occurs. The State does not have to prove that a sexual act was completed.
The Core Misdemeanors — §§ 11-303, 11-306, and 11-307
Section 11-303 makes it a crime to knowingly engage in prostitution or assignation by any means, or to occupy a building, structure, or conveyance for that purpose. A conviction is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not exceeding one year, a fine not exceeding $500, or both.
Section 11-306 makes it a crime to knowingly procure or solicit, or offer to procure or solicit, prostitution or assignation. The penalty is the same: up to one year and $500. This is the statute most often used after an undercover operation aimed at a person alleged to be buying or arranging the encounter.
Section 11-307 makes it a crime to knowingly keep, occupy, operate, or allow a building, structure, or conveyance under the person’s control to be used for prostitution or assignation. The penalty is again up to one year and $500.
Sections 11-303 and 11-306 both provide an affirmative defense of duress if the defendant committed the act as a result of being a victim of sex trafficking under Title 3, Subtitle 11, or of human trafficking under federal law. The defense requires written notice to the State’s Attorney at least 10 days before trial. That deadline is easy to miss without counsel.
More Serious Related Charges
Not every case that begins as a “prostitution” arrest stays a one-year misdemeanor. Baltimore County charging documents sometimes add, or later substitute:
- 11-304 — receiving or acquiring money or proceeds from the earnings of a person engaged in prostitution, with intent to promote or profit from a crime under the subtitle or to conceal the source of the money. This is still labeled a misdemeanor, but it is punishable by up to 10 years and $10,000.
- 11-305 — abduction of a child under 16 from a home or from a parent or guardian in connection with prostitution. This is a felony with exposure of up to 25 years and a $5,000 fine.
- 3-1102 — sex trafficking: taking, placing, harboring, or persuading another to be taken to or placed in a place for prostitution. A violation involving an adult, without force, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 10 years and $5,000. A violation involving a minor, or committed with force, threat, coercion, or fraud, is a felony punishable by up to 25 years and $15,000. Financially benefiting from the venture, or aiding and abetting, carries the same penalties. It is not a defense that the accused did not know the victim’s age.
A prostitution lawyer in Towson has to read the actual statute cited on the statement of charges. The label on a police press release is not the charge.
How These Cases Typically Arise in Baltimore County
Most Towson District Court prostitution dockets are sting cases: an undercover officer, a recorded conversation, and an arrest after an alleged agreement. Other cases start with a hotel complaint, a vehicle stop, an online advertisement, or an investigation that later expands into a receiving-earnings or trafficking theory. Companion charges can include CDS possession, theft, disorderly conduct, or a traffic offense that was the original reason for the stop.
Do not discuss the accusation with anyone except a lawyer. Recorded statements and phone messages are often the State’s entire case.
Strong Defenses to Prostitution and Solicitation Charges
At Shepard Law, we thoroughly investigate every prostitution case to build a thoughtful defense strategy tailored to your situation. Common issues include:
- No knowing agreement for hire. Ambiguous conversation, joking, or an encounter that never crossed into an appointment for prostitution is not automatically assignation.
- The words did not amount to solicitation. “Solicit” has a statutory definition. Not every uncomfortable conversation meets it.
- Identity and control of the place. Occupying or allowing a building or vehicle to be used requires proof of the accused’s role.
- The statutory duress defense. A person who committed the act as a trafficking victim may have an affirmative defense if notice is given in time.
- A one-year solicitation case should not be converted into a 10-year receiving-earnings count or a trafficking count without evidence that matches those statutes.
- Constitutional issues in the sting. Unlawful stops, searches of phones, and statements taken in violation of Miranda can require suppression.
Stephen P. Shepard approaches each case with care and attention, working closely with clients to pursue the most appropriate resolution—whether dismissal, a stet, probation before judgment where available, a reduction that avoids a more serious related count, or trial.
Why Choose Shepard Law for Prostitution Defense in Baltimore County
Stephen P. Shepard is a respected Baltimore County criminal defense attorney recognized by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star,” Avvo with a 10.0 “Superb” rating, Martindale-Hubbell as a “Client Champion Platinum,” and The National Trial Lawyers as a “Top 40 Under 40.” He is an active member of the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association and regularly appears in Baltimore County courts.
Our Towson office, located at 303 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Towson, MD 21204, serves clients across Baltimore County. At Shepard Law, you receive client-centered and compassionate representation focused on your individual needs and long-term well-being in these highly sensitive matters.
Take the Next Step – Contact a Prostitution Lawyer in Towson Today
Call Shepard Law at (410) 648-4008 or complete our secure online contact form for a free, confidential consultation. We also offer jail visits for a fee when needed. Attorney Stephen P. Shepard is prepared to listen carefully to your story, explain your rights, and provide the client-centered and compassionate representation you deserve on a prostitution or solicitation charge in Towson or anywhere in Baltimore County.
Engaging in prostitution under § 11-303 and soliciting under § 11-306 are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year and $500. Receiving earnings under § 11-304 is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 10 years. Sex trafficking under § 3-1102 can be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on force and the age of the other person.
Yes. Assignation is the making of an appointment for prostitution or any act in furtherance of that appointment. Solicitation is urging or requesting another person. Completion of a sexual act is not an element.
A simple adult § 11-303 or § 11-306 conviction typically does not. Registration risk rises when a minor is involved or the case is charged as sex trafficking. The judgment, not the police description, controls.
Sections 11-303 and 11-306 allow an affirmative defense of duress if the defendant committed the act as a victim of sex trafficking or federal human trafficking. The State’s Attorney must be notified at least 10 days before trial.
Yes. Shepard Law defends prostitution, solicitation, receiving-earnings, and related charges in Towson District Court and Baltimore County Circuit Court, and represents clients from Towson, Essex, Catonsville, and surrounding communities. Call (410) 648-4008 to schedule a free, confidential consultation.