You’re out one night at the bar looking for “friend”. You buy a girl a drink but she’s not interested. Strike one. You try Tinder, same result. Strike two. Not wanting to strike out that night, you decide to look for a “sure thing”. Maybe you decide to drive in the seedier part of town, or check out the lovely ladies of backpage.com. Either way you know that you aren’t going to strike out. The problem is that after you attempt to negotiate for her services, you are placed under arrest because the nice girl that you were soliciting was a police officer.
You think to yourself, “how bad could this be?” You have never been in trouble, it’s a misdemeanor charge, and aside from the embarrassment of explaining the situation to your friend who bonded you out, this is no big deal.
That was probably the same thought process as Nelson Vachon. Mr. Vachon was arrested after making a deal with a prostitute for $20. Unfortunately, the prostitute was an undercover cop working a sting operation. He entered a plea and the government asked the Judge to impose the mandatory $5000.00 civil fine. The County Court found that the $5000.00 fine was unconstitutional and excessive. However, the Fourth District Court of Appeals did not agree. They reversed the trial court’s order and required the sentence to include the $5000.00 civil penalty.
So the moral of the story is, first stay away from police acting as prostitutes in an undercover operation. Second, stay away from prostitutes. Third and perhaps most importantly should you ignore the first and second points, hire an attorney who is experienced with the criminal justice system. The attorneys at Moses and Rooth can assist in examining your case and representing you in court. Call 407-377-0150 to schedule an appointment.
Andrew Moses
Andrew has been practicing criminal law his entire career. After graduating from law school he began working as an Assistant State Attorney prosecuting cases in Orange and Osceola Counties. During his time as an Assistant State Attorney, Andrew handled all types of cases ranging from misdemeanors to such serious felonies as drug trafficking and armed robbery. His experience as a prosecutor helped him gain perspective of the criminal justice system and how the government established its cases.
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