What is pimping?
Pimping is allowing or procuring people to work as prostitutes. The person who does so is usually referred to as a pimp. They usually keep some or all of the earnings from the person who was hired as a prostitute. Pimping is not officially recognized under current Maryland laws. However, it is illegal for anyone in the state to earn money from acts of prostitution.
Is pimping illegal?
Pimping by itself is not a crime in the state of Maryland. A person may be charged with receiving money from someone who was involved in prostitution activities. They may be found guilty of committing a misdemeanor.
People are not allowed to run houses of prostitution. They cannot endorse human trafficking or prostitution or profit from those actions. Individuals are prohibited from hiding or falsely representing the source of any funds that they received as a result of running a house of prostitution or acts of human trafficking or prostitution. Some pimps may opt to launder those funds, which is also illegal.
What are the penalties for pimping?
Pimping doesn’t have specific punishments in Maryland as of this writing. Prostitution, receiving earnings that were made by a prostitute, and human trafficking are punishable crimes. Each of these offenses has its own sentencing guidelines.
Prostitution is a misdemeanor. People who are found guilty of this crime may be ordered to pay a fine of no more than $500 and/or serve up to a year in prison. Receiving money that was made by a person for engaging in acts of prostitution is also a misdemeanor. Offenders could be fined as much as $10,000 and/or serve a maximum of 10 years in jail for this crime.
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking has different consequences, depending on the age of the victim. If the person who was trafficked was an adult, the crime will be a misdemeanor. Persons who are found guilty can be sentenced to no more than 10 years in prison/and or pay a fine that won’t exceed $5,000 for this offense. Trafficking a person who was a minor at the time is a felony. People who are convicted of this crime can be fined as much as $15,000 and/or serve up to 25 years in jail as a result.
If the victim or prostitute was a minor, the person who was found guilty of the crime could also be required to register as a sex offender. Sex offenders must register in the county that they reside in within 3 days from when they were released from jail. If the offender was not sentenced to prison, they should register as soon as possible. They may face additional penalties for failing to comply with this mandate.
Sex Offenders
Sex offenders will be asked to provide their name, any aliases they may go by, their date of birth, their Social Security number, phone number, residence and school address, palm prints and fingerprints, a copy of their driver’s license, the license plate and makes and models of any vehicles that they own, a current photo of themselves, a physical description of themself, details about any current professional licenses that they have, a copy of their immigration papers or passport and all of the screen names or email addresses that the person has ever used during their lifetime. A synopsis of the crime in question, the date that it happened, and the jurisdiction where the offender was convicted will also be included.
All of this data will be made available to the public by local law enforcement. Anyone who wants to can view that information online. Sex offenders must re-register every six months over a fifteen-year period of time. They may be barred from certain careers (working at child care centers or elementary schools, for example) and entering daycares and public and private school buildings. Offenders may face additional penalties if they fail to re-register as required.
What should I do if I’ve been accused of pimping?
Even though pimping is usually considered a less serious offense, it doesn’t mean that it’s any less important. If you’ve been accused of pimping or receiving money from someone who was involved in acts of prostitution, you have the right to refute those claims if necessary. You should definitely hire legal counsel to act on your behalf.
Both sides ( You & the State) will be allowed to supply evidence, witnesses, and testimony during court proceedings. You may be asked to take the stand to respond to questioning by your attorney and the attorney who represents the person who made the initial complaint. You will be known as the defendant and the individual who filed the petition will be referred to as the plaintiff. Be sure to answer all questions honestly and to the best of your knowledge. Lying under oath is perjury. People who are found guilty of perjury could serve up to five years in jail and/or pay a fine of up to $250,000 for that particular infraction.
Sex crimes can be very damaging. Victims may have difficulties in making or maintaining personal or romantic relationships. People who are accused of sex crimes may be viewed in a negative light by their friends, relatives, coworkers and associates, even if they were found not guilty or had their record cleared. It will take a fair amount of time to recover and rebuild trust and respect.
If you’ve been accused or a sex crime or were a victim of a specific sex crime, talk to us. Contact our office to set up a free consultation. Our trained professionals will hear what you have to say. They will make recommendations for possible next steps and be willing to represent you in court if you want.
Our primary goal is to help you get back on track. We know that this won’t’ be easy, but success rarely ever happens overnight. You’ll need to commit to the process, and take steps to improve your situation. There will be bad days and good days along the way. You may want to throw in the towel at times, but don’t give up. If you stay on course, you’ll probably be back to loving what you do and enjoying the company that you keep before you know it.