Las Vegas Sex Trafficking Attorney

In 2013, the Nevada legislature created the crime of sex trafficking which increased the penalties for pandering when certain aggravating factors are present such as the use of force or threats. Researchers consider the State of Nevada to be a mecca for sex trafficking. Throughout the state, both prosecutors and law enforcement officers have been increasing their attention on arresting and prosecuting pimps and sex traffickers.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department estimates that it has recovered 2,229 victims of sex trafficking since 1997. The Las Vegas Metro Police Department estimates that the number of child sex trafficking victims that has been reported has increased from 107 in 2012 to 148 in 2013.

Las Vegas Sex Trafficking Defense Lawyer

If you have been charged with any criminal charge related to prostitution, pimping or pandering, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Pariente Law Firm, P.C.. The penalties for any pimping or pandering charges are extremely serious. The most serious charges are reserved for allegations of sex trafficking.

Call Michael Pariente at (702) 966-5310 to discuss the facts of your case.

Sex Trafficking Info Center

• Nevada’s New Sex Trafficking Statute Under NRS 201.300(2)
• Penalties for Sex Trafficking Crimes in Las Vegas
• Juveniles Charged with Prostitution Offenses
• Resources on Nevada’s New Sex Trafficking Statute

Nevada’s New Sex Trafficking Statute Under NRS 201.300(2)

That statute expressly provides that the consent of the victim of the sex trafficking to an act of prostitution is not a defense to a prosecution. Under NRS 201.300(2), a person is guilty of sex trafficking if the following elements are proven beyond all reasonable doubt:

A person:

(a) Is guilty of sex trafficking if the person:

1. Induces, causes, recruits, harbors, transports, provides,obtains or maintains a child to engage in prostitution, or to enter any place within this State in which prostitution is practiced, encouraged or allowed for the purpose of sexual conduct or prostitution;
2. Induces, recruits, harbors, transports, provides, obtains or maintains a person by any means, knowing, or in reckless disregard of the fact, that threats, violence, force, intimidation, fraud, duress or coercion will be used to cause the person to engage in prostitution, or to enter any place within this State in which prostitution is practiced, encouraged or allowed for the purpose of sexual conduct or prostitution;
3. By threats, violence, force, intimidation, fraud, duress, coercion, by any device or scheme, or by abuse of any position of confidence or authority, or having legal charge, takes, places, harbors, induces, causes, compels or procures a person to engage in prostitution, or to enter any place within this State in which prostitution is practiced, encouraged or allowed for the purpose of sexual conduct or prostitution; or
4. Takes or detains a person with the intent to compel the person by force, violence, threats or duress to marry him or her or any other person.

Penalties for Sex Trafficking Crimes in Las Vegas

Sex trafficking involving another adult under NRS 201.300 is a category B felony punishable by a prison sentence for a term of not less than 3 years and a maximum term of not more than 10 years, and a fine of up to $10,000.

If the person that was subject to the sex trafficking is a child that is 16 years old or 17 years old when the offense is committed, then the crime is a category A felony. The crime is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole after 5 years and a fine of up to $10,000.

If the person that was subjected to the sex trafficking is a child that is 14 years old or 15 years old at the time the offense is committed, then the crime is a category A felony. The crime is punishable by a life sentence with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000.

If the person that was subjected to the sex trafficking is a child under the age of 14 years old when the crime is committed, then the sex trafficking offense is a category A felony. The offense of sex trafficking involving a child under the age of 14 years shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life with the possibility of parole, with eligibility for parole beginning when a minimum of 15 years has been served, and may be further punished by a fine of not more than $20,000.

That statute expressly provides that in a prosecution for sex trafficking a child, it is not a defense that the defendant did not have knowledge of the victim’s age, nor is reasonable mistake of age a valid defense to a prosecution. Furthermore, under NRS 171.085, the statute of limitation for sex trafficking is generally set at 4 years.

Juveniles Charged with Prostitution Offenses

In the Juvenile Justice System for Prostitution in Clark County, juveniles who are suspected of engaging in acts of prostitution are sorted into a special division. This special court division includes Assistant District Attorneys and Public Defenders who are familiar with Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) dynamics.

DMST is the commercial sexual exploitation of American citizen children or lawful permanent resident children through prostitution, pornography or sexual performance for compensation, either monetary or other consideration such as shelter, food, or drugs. 

Special attention is placed on placement options for these vulnerable young people. It also allows the courts to collect statistical data on the number of girls and boys suspected of prostitution and sex trafficking in Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada.

Resources on Nevada’s New Sex Trafficking Statute

Human Sex Trafficking in Nevada – The website for the Office of the Attorney General compares human sex trafficking to a modern day form of slavery that impacts our most vulnerable population in the commercial sex trade. The Attorney General warns that the victims of human sex trafficking are often subjected to force, fraud and coercion to engage in sexual activities that are against their will.

Trafficked No More! – Visit the website for a Sex Trafficking Awareness Campaign in Nevada.

Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) in Las Vegas, Nevada – White paper from Shared Hope International, an organization that exists to rescues and restore women and children in crisis. It is a leader in an effort to eradicate sex trafficking though education and public awareness. The Las Vegas Assessment provides identification of domestic minor sex trafficking victims and their access to services in Clark County, Nevada.

Finding an Attorney for Sex Trafficking Charges

In many of these cases, a sex worker who is under suspicion of criminal activity will make false allegations against another person in his or her life. Those allegations often amount to sex trafficking or pandering under the laws of Nevada. If you have been accused of any type of prostitution charge, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney. Call us to discuss your case today.