William D. Kickham
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Prostitution, Soliciting and Pimping

Prostitute on street

Because they are so closely related legally, we’re going to list the three crimes of Prostitution, Soliciting and Pimping on one page. All three of these crimes are governed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272.

Prostitution:

What has often been called “The World’s Oldest Profession” is still a crime in Massachusetts, and is prohibited by Section 53A of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272. Engaging in sexual conduct with someone for a fee is defined as consisting of any of the following acts: 1) Engaging in sexual conduct; or 2) Agreeing to engage in sexual conduct; or 3) Making an offer to engage in sexual conduct with a person, in exchange for some form of fee. Interestingly, in order for prosecutors to bring this charge, it is irrelevant whether or not any sexual activity actually occurred – so long as there was some type of either an offer or an agreement to engage in or participate in sexual activity.

For both alleged prostitutes and their customers, a conviction on a charge of engaging in sexual conduct for a fee carries imprisonment of as much as one year in a House of Correction/County Jail, or a maximum fine of $500, or both. Importantly, this punishment is drastically increased if the transaction or agreement involved a child under the age of 14. In this situation, a defendant can be sentenced to as much as 10 years in a state prison, or a maximum of 2 ½ years in a House of Correction/County Jail – whether any sexual conduct occurred or not.

Soliciting:

Soliciting for a prostitute is prohibited by Section 8 of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272. The law criminalizes (1) soliciting a prostitute; and (2) receiving any compensation for the act of soliciting a prostitute. This statute is aimed more at prostitutes’ customers, or, as they are commonly referred to by police, “Johns.” Convictions of this offense carry punishments of imprisonment in a County Jail/House of Correction for a maximum of up to one year, or a maximum fine of $500, or both.

Purveying, Or “Pimping”:

“Pimping,” legally, is known as “Deriving financial support from prostitution,” and it is prohibited by Section 7 of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272.

In order to secure a conviction of this offense, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the following legal elements:

  1. That the defendant derived financial support from another person’s prostitution, or shared in any earnings, monies, or proceeds that were produced by another person’s prostitution; and
  2. That the defendant was aware or had knowledge that that individual being paid was a prostitute.

Again, this law is aimed at pimps and their activities. A conviction of this offense carries a minimum sentence of five-years in state prison together with a $5,000 fine. Importantly, a judge cannot reduce this sentence to less than two years, and there is no eligibility for either parole or probation until at least two years of the sentence are first served.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
When I was arrested for DUI, I was absolutely terrified. Had it not been for you, I might have been convicted of something I was not at all guilty of. My work life, my family life, my reputation, all could have been destroyed. You stood by me like the legal version of a bodyguard - and because of you, I was found not guilty. G.M.
★★★★★
When we got the call that our son had been arrested and charged with rape, we almost fainted. We know our son. He is not violent; he has never abused anyone, let alone another girl… If not for you and your "take no prisoners" attitude, our son might have been convicted of a crime that would have sent him to state prison. As far as we're concerned, our son owes you his life, and we owe you the world. We will never forget you. A.H. and P.H.
★★★★★
I hired Mr. William D. Kickham for a very important legal issue and I was extremely satisfied by the results. His in depth knowledge about the matter and his intelligent thinking was extremely beneficial. He is really an expert. He was also very supportive and sensitive towards my concerns. It was great to have a lawyer of his capacity. Thanks William for all the Help. N.G.
★★★★★
Atty. Kickham defended me on a charge of raping my girlfriend, who made up the whole story out of revenge because I was interested in someone else. If it weren’t for Attorney Kickham proving me innocent, God knows what might have happened to me. Z.B.
★★★★★
Mr. Kickham represented me on a trumped-up charge of domestic violence. The prosecutor and police wouldn’t back down, even after my spouse told them it was all untrue. They insisted on taking me to trial, and Mr. Kickham never wavered. He was my legal bodyguard, and I was found not guilty. M.B.
★★★★★
Of the many talents Atty. Kickham has, two are these: 1) He is ten times as persuasive as the best lawyer you’ve seen in the movies; and 2) Nothing - but nothing - gets by him. The police arrested me on completely false drug charges, and after a heated courtroom battle, Atty. Kickham won the day. Trust me, it was no surprise. D.C.
★★★★★
Because I mildly disciplined my child for throwing a tantrum, I was actually charged with child abuse. It was horrifying. Atty. Kickham fought for me tooth and nail, until I was declared not guilty. One hell of a lawyer. D.D.
★★★★★
I complimented a co-worker on her looks and patted her on the back as I did so. Two hours later, the police showed up and accused me of indecent assault & battery. From the day I hired him, Atty. Kickham fought the DA’s office until the charges were dropped. If not for him, my life would have been ruined. A.K.