Media Has Already Convicted 33 Arrested and Accused of Prostitution and Solicitation in Joliet
As a Chicago criminal attorney with experience working in the Joliet Courthouse, I'm watching the media coverage of the recent Joliet prostitution sting with great interest. According to local media, Illinois law enforcement used online sites such as Backpage.com to post fake ads aimed at men looking for companionship. Thirty-three (33) people were arrested and charged with felony and misdemeanor prostitution, pandering, and solicitation of a prostitute. (Online prostitution advertising is too costly to be profitable. Please read my blog post entitled "Protect Yourself from the Dangers of Online Prostitution Advertising in Illinois" for guidance on how to provide legal adult services).
One particularly troubling aspect of the recent coverage is the degree to which local media has demonized those arrested months before any trial or defense could be had. Names, addresses, and pictures of those arrested are published alongside stories tacitly condemning those accused of prostitution, pimping, and soliciting prostitution as guilty.
What ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? The papers should remember that, as Americans, we enjoy a "presumption of innocence." In fact, a large percentage of sexual misconduct accusations are false, and are made for reasons other than the truth. I have personally had cases that did not survive aggressive investigation and that fell apart when the accusation was probed for weakness. While a detailed recitation of all of the false accusations of rape, solicitation, and prostitution is beyond the scope of this article, for now just know that whether you have been falsely accused of sexual misconduct, or you know you made a mistake but there is not enough evidence to prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, there are ways to beat prostitution charges as well as ways to beat solicitation of a prostitute charges.
If the facts of your case do not warrant a trial and you just want to get through this as quickly as possible with the minimum possible effect on your record, your lawyer must find innovative ways to obtain a favorable settlement with the government that protects you from going to jail, being convicted, or pleading guilty. Education, support, and compassion, not ostracism, is the best way to create the most benefit for the accused and for society as a whole. Few girls choose to work as prostitutes if they have a better option. They grow up in a culture that glamorizes prostitution as an exciting lifestyle in which to make alot of fast and easy money. Turning to prostitution is often the result of a troubled childhood, a boyfriend exerting a bad influence, poverty, or to support an addiction. Similarly, men who solicit prostitutes may be doing so out of loneliness, desperation, or sexual addiction. In many cases you will have the benefit of dealing with a prosecutor who understands that it doesn't make sense to hurt such people with punitive convictions and jail time and who will agree to dismiss the case pending successful completion of sex education and counseling.
If you have been arrested for prostitution or soliciting a prostitute, and the media has not reported it, good. If you are concerned with keeping the arrest private, keep an eye on your mailbox. Some lawyers search the public record regularly for the names and addressess of people arrested and send them pamphlets and letters in the mail advertising their services. (Shepherd Law Office does not).
