Criminal investigations and trials are complicated. Often a single criminal act can result in multiple charges. Pimping is one of these crimes that often involve multiple criminal charges from the same act. This post will go over pimping and pandering and how you could face multiple charges.
Pimping, as much people understand it, is the managing of prostitutes. Pimps operate by collecting the benefits that prostitutes earn as a result of engaging in sexual acts. This can be indirect or direct receipt. For example, an indirect receipt would be the woman giving you the money after the sexual act had been completed. You may not witness the act or have been present when the prostitute and John (a John is a person who pays for sexual acts) agreed to the deal but you received the benefit. A direct receipt is when the John pays you directly.
Conversely, pandering results when a person finds people to become prostitutes. So a person that manipulates his girlfriend or brings in people from overseas to act as prostitutes has committed the crime of pandering. The difference between a pimp and a panderer is very small because most pimps find their prostitutes through pandering.
But the crime of pandering requires that you know that you were promoting prostitution. For example, a strip club owner that allows its strippers to use “back rooms” for sexual exchanges is likely guilty of pandering because he is aware of the prostitution. Conversely, the owner of a restaurant in which waitresses sneak into backrooms to use for sexual favors is likely not guilty because he was not aware of their actions.
If you are dealing with pimping or pandering charges then you are in serious legal trouble and may want to contact a criminal defense attorney. These charges are taken very seriously by all state governments because the police often believe these actions are associated with gang activities. These crimes often result in felony charges and years behind bars, assuming no other charges are pending. It is in your best interest to immediately begin preparing a defense because the consequences could be severe.
