Welcome back and thanks for joining us. We’ve been discussing the subject of ‘pimping’ and why it’s illegal in Michigan. As we mentioned in the previous article, being a pimp essentially means being the broker in a sex for money deal. And since prostitution is illegal in Michigan, it stands to reason that profiting from that, or being involved in it in any way, would also be against the law.
But there’s a lot more to pimping (or pandering, as it’s sometimes called) than just taking money from prostitutes. In addition to the many other crimes we mentioned last time that often go hand-in-hand with pandering (like assault and fraud), there are many situations where pimping involves other sex crimes, aside from prostitution. And that’s what we’d like to talk to you about today.
Sex Crimes involving minors are against the law in Michigan:
A startling number of prostitutes are underage. Many were vulnerable because of their youth and inexperience, and were then taken advantage of by the pimps who ‘manage’ them. But sex with a minor is also illegal in Michigan, and if the prostitutes being handled by a pimp are under the age of consent, pimping can involve the crime of accosting a minor, facilitating sex with a minor, and many others.
- Accosting a minor:
In Michigan, Accosting a Minor means soliciting a minor to engage in any kind of sexual activity, or “immoral acts.” And while the word “accost” might sound like a physical thing, it doesn’t have to be. You could be accused of accosting a child by simply making a proposition to a minor online, even if they don’t take you up on the offer.
- Child Pornography:
One aspect of pimping that often gets overlooked is the tie to pornography. People involved in the sex industry often double-dip, especially in our digital world where so much happens online. But taking sexual pictures of a minor, even if the person looking at them doesn’t realize the model is underage, can still result in ‘kiddie porn’ charges. And in Michigan, that’s a very big deal!
- Assault with intent:
Sometimes, when a prosecutor isn’t sure they’ll get another charge to stick (or they just want to throw the book at you) they fall back on the old favorite “assault with intent.” This is actually two separate charges – sexual assault with intent to commit penetration, and sexual assault with intent to commit 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct. Either way though, this is a serious charge.
You could end up on the sex offender registry!
Pimps, when they’re busted, almost always end up behind bars. And when they finally get out (assuming they ever get out, that is) they’re almost guaranteed to end up on the sex offender registry. In Michigan, that means ending up on a searchable public database that could ruin your chances at getting a decent job, and make you a social pariah.
So if this sounds like your situation, or you’ve been accused of pandering in Michigan, make sure you’ve got the best sex crime defense attorney available! That means calling The Kronzek Firm at 866 766 5245 (866 7No Jail) and talking to one of our skilled and experienced sex crime defense attorneys. We’ve spent decades successfully defending the people of Michigan against sex crime charges, and we can help you too!