Solicitation Lawyer in Lansing MI

This is the most common charge facing clients arrested in police stings throughout mid-Michigan. You may have responded to an online ad, approached someone on the street, or communicated through messaging apps. Undercover officers in Lansing frequently pose as sex workers online and in person, then arrest anyone who agrees to exchange money for sexual services. We defend against these charges by examining the communication records, challenging entrapment claims, and questioning whether you actually formed the required criminal intent. 

If you’re charged with offering sexual services in exchange for payment, you face the same criminal penalties as those accused of solicitation. Michigan law treats both sides of the transaction equally. Many of our clients facing prostitution charges were working independently or through online platforms when undercover operations targeted them. We understand the circumstances that lead people to this work and focus our defense on constitutional violations, lack of evidence, and protecting you from the harshest consequences.  

This charge applies when prosecutors allege you approached someone in a public place and made an offer related to prostitution. It’s common in cases involving street-level activity or when someone is accused of approaching an undercover officer. The penalties mirror standard solicitation charges, but the public nature of the alleged conduct can add complications to your case. 

Law enforcement agencies across Michigan, including Lansing-area departments, conduct online operations targeting people using websites, apps, and social media to arrange sexual services. These cases often involve extensive digital evidence (messages, emails, photos, and transaction records). We challenge the reliability of this evidence, examine whether officers induced criminal behavior that wouldn’t have otherwise occurred, and identify constitutional violations in how police obtained your communications. 

Michigan law specifically criminalizes patronizing: knowingly paying or offering to pay someone for sexual services. This charge often accompanies solicitation charges, and prosecutors may file both to increase pressure on defendants to plead guilty. We fight these redundant charges and work to have duplicate accusations dismissed or consolidated. 

When solicitation arrests occur as part of larger investigations, prosecutors sometimes file human trafficking charges against those accused of profiting from or facilitating prostitution. These are far more serious felony charges with lengthy prison sentences. If you’re facing trafficking allegations alongside solicitation charges, you need immediate, specialized defense representation. Monument Legal handles complex sexual assault defense and trafficking accusations with the seriousness they demand. 

We review arrest reports, police body camera footage, and communication records while memories are fresh and evidence is available. In solicitation cases, critical evidence can disappear quickly if not preserved through formal requests.

We examine whether police violated your Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure or your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. If officers obtained evidence illegally (through warrantless phone searches, coerced statements, or improper surveillance) we file motions to suppress that evidence.

Many Michigan solicitation cases involve aggressive undercover operations where officers initiate contact and persistently encourage criminal conduct. We investigate whether police induced you to commit a crime you weren’t predisposed to commit, which constitutes illegal entrapment. 

Text messages, emails, and recorded conversations often lack clear context. We challenge the prosecution’s interpretation of ambiguous communications and argue that no actual agreement occurred.

Depending on your criminal history and case circumstances, we negotiate with prosecutors to reduce solicitation charges to lesser offenses like disorderly conduct, which may avoid a criminal record through delayed sentencing or dismissal programs.

If negotiations don’t produce acceptable results, we prepare for trial. We cross-examine police officers, challenge the credibility of undercover testimony, and present alternative explanations for the evidence.

Many employers conduct background checks, and solicitation convictions appear as sex-related offenses, creating barriers to employment in healthcare, education, government, and positions requiring professional licenses.

Doctors, nurses, teachers, attorneys, real estate agents, and other licensed professionals face disciplinary proceedings from their licensing boards following solicitation convictions, potentially resulting in license suspension or revocation.

Landlords routinely deny applications from individuals with criminal records, especially for offenses involving moral turpitude like solicitation.

Non-citizens face potential deportation, denial of naturalization, and inadmissibility for solicitation convictions, which immigration authorities classify as crimes involving moral turpitude.

The stigma surrounding solicitation charges damages marriages, family relationships, and community standing, even when charges are eventually dismissed.

This defense applies when law enforcement officers induced you to commit a crime you weren’t predisposed to commit. In Michigan solicitation cases, entrapment occurs when undercover officers initiate contact, make repeated requests, offer incentives, or use persuasive tactics that create criminal intent where none existed before. Simply providing an opportunity to commit a crime isn’t entrapment. The key question is whether police created the criminal intent.

Prosecutors must prove you actually agreed to exchange sex for money. Ambiguous conversations, joking statements, or vague communications may not establish the required agreement. We challenge cases where messages can be interpreted multiple ways or where you never explicitly agreed to anything illegal.

The prosecution bears the burden of proving every element of the crime beyond reasonable doubt. If they lack clear evidence of an agreement, proof that money was discussed, or confirmation of your intent, we argue for dismissal based on insufficient evidence.

Evidence obtained through illegal searches, coerced confessions, or violations of your Miranda rights cannot be used against you. We file suppression motions to exclude illegally obtained evidence, which often results in case dismissal when critical evidence is thrown out.

In cases involving online communications or crowded public places, police sometimes arrest the wrong person. We investigate whether prosecutors can actually prove you were the individual who sent messages or made solicitation offers.

You have the absolute right to refuse to answer police questions. When arrested for solicitation in Lansing, officers will try to get you to explain what you were doing, what you intended, and what you agreed to. Do not provide any explanation, even if you think it makes you look innocent. Politely state, “I’m invoking my right to remain silent and want to speak with my attorney.” Then stop talking.

You have the right to have an attorney present during any questioning. Request an attorney immediately upon arrest. Police must stop questioning you once you invoke this right. They may try to minimize the situation or suggest that asking for a lawyer makes you look guilty, ignore these tactics. Every person facing criminal charges deserves legal representation, and smart people exercise this right.

Police need probable cause to search your vehicle, phone, or person. If arrested for solicitation, officers often search your phone looking for evidence of communications related to prostitution. In many cases, these searches violate your Fourth Amendment rights unless officers obtained a warrant or you consented. Never consent to a phone search. If they have a warrant, don’t resist, but don’t consent either, let them rely on the warrant so we can later challenge its validity.

• Officers cannot physically force you to unlock your phone or provide passwords without a warrant
• They cannot legally search your vehicle without probable cause, your consent, or a warrant
• They cannot continue questioning you after you invoke your right to remain silent or request an attorney
• They cannot make promises about “going easy on you” if you confess. These promises mean nothing and prosecutors won’t honor them

1. Remain calm and polite, but invoke your right to remain silent
2. Request an attorney immediately
3. Do not consent to any searches of your phone, vehicle, or belongings
4. Do not try to explain your way out of the situation
5. Call Monument Legal as soon as you’re allowed to make a phone call
6. Write down everything you remember about the arrest while details are fresh, give this information only to your attorney

No. Never speak to police about solicitation allegations without an attorney present.  

You have the absolute constitutional right to remain silent, and you should exercise it immediately upon arrest. Police are trained to extract incriminating statements from suspects, and even explanations that seem innocent can be twisted into evidence against you. Politely state that you’re invoking your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and your Sixth Amendment right to an attorney, then stop talking. Nothing you say will convince officers to release you or drop charges. Officers don’t make those decisions. Contact Monument Legal immediately for guidance before speaking with police. 

It depends on several factors including whether this is your first offense, the specific charges filed, and the strength of the prosecution’s evidence.  

First-time solicitation offenders in Lansing often avoid jail time through plea negotiations, diversion programs, or probation sentences. However, repeat offenses, solicitation involving minors, or cases where the person solicited is a minor carry mandatory jail or prison time. With experienced defense representation, many clients achieve outcomes that avoid incarceration entirely. We evaluate your specific situation during your free consultation and provide an honest assessment of potential outcomes. 

Most misdemeanor solicitation cases in 54A District Court or 54B District Court resolve within two to four months from arrest to final disposition.  

Felony cases handled in Ingham County Circuit Court typically take four to eight months. However, timelines vary based on whether you go to trial, how backed up the court docket is, and how aggressively we challenge the prosecution’s evidence. Complex cases involving suppression motions, evidentiary hearings, or trial preparation take longer. We work efficiently while never rushing decisions that affect your future. 

Yes, many solicitation cases result in dismissals or reduced charges.  

Common favorable outcomes include complete dismissal based on insufficient evidence or constitutional violations, reduction to disorderly conduct or other non-sex-related offenses, and delayed sentencing agreements where charges are dismissed after completing probation or counseling. Your chances of a favorable outcome improve dramatically with early, experienced legal representation. We identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and negotiate aggressively for the best possible result. Contact Monument Legal to discuss your specific case and defense options. 

Your first court appearance is your arraignment, which typically occurs within 72 hours of arrest if you’re held in custody, or several weeks later if you’re released on bond.  

At arraignment, the judge reads the charges against you, informs you of your constitutional rights, and sets bond conditions if you haven’t already been released. You’ll enter a plea of not guilty at this stage. The judge may also impose bond conditions like travel restrictions, no-contact orders, or requirements to check in with court officials. Having Monument Legal represent you at arraignment ensures your rights are protected from the very beginning and we can argue for reasonable bond conditions. After arraignment, the case proceeds through pretrial conferences where we negotiate with prosecutors and prepare for trial if necessary. 

Yes. A solicitation conviction in Michigan creates a permanent criminal record that appears on background checks conducted by employers, landlords, professional licensing boards, and others.  

This record classifies solicitation as a sex-related offense, which carries significant stigma and creates barriers to employment and housing. However, Michigan law allows expungement of certain criminal convictions after waiting periods—typically three years for misdemeanors and five years for felonies. Monument Legal handles expungement cases and can advise you on eligibility for clearing your record after completing your sentence. The best approach is avoiding conviction in the first place through aggressive defense representation. 

No. Pleading guilty without exploring your defense options is almost always a mistake. Solicitation charges carry serious long-term consequences beyond immediate penalties, including permanent criminal records, professional license issues, and social stigma.  

Many solicitation cases have defensible issues, including constitutional violations, entrapment, insufficient evidence, or negotiation opportunities for reduced charges. Even if you believe you’re guilty, how you plead affects your sentence, your record, and your future. Monument Legal provides free consultations where we review your case, explain your options, and help you make an informed decision about how to proceed. Never plead guilty without first consulting an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Absolutely. Solicitation charges carry criminal penalties, create permanent records, and affect your employment, housing, and personal life for years.  

The prosecution has experienced attorneys working against you- you deserve experienced representation working for you. Monument Legal knows Michigan solicitation law, understands local court procedures in Lansing, and has the relationships and experience to negotiate favorable outcomes. We identify defense strategies you wouldn’t know to raise, challenge evidence you wouldn’t know to question, and protect rights you might not realize you have. The cost of not having an attorney far exceeds the cost of experienced representation. Call us today for a free, confidential case evaluation. 

Police sting operations targeting solicitation are common throughout Michigan, including in Lansing and East Lansing.  

These operations often involve undercover officers posing as sex workers online or in person, then arresting anyone who agrees to exchange money for sexual services. Many sting operations cross the line into entrapment, where officers induce criminal conduct that wouldn’t have occurred without their persistent encouragement.  

We defend sting operation cases by examining the communications between you and the officer, investigating whether you were predisposed to commit the crime, and challenging whether police created the criminal opportunity. Sting cases are defensible, and many result in dismissals or reduced charges when properly challenged.

Yes. Professional licensing boards in Michigan take solicitation convictions seriously because they involve moral turpitude.  

Doctors, nurses, teachers, attorneys, accountants, real estate agents, and other licensed professionals face disciplinary proceedings following solicitation convictions. Potential consequences include license suspension, revocation, mandatory ethics training, or probationary restrictions on practice. Some boards distinguish between convictions and dismissed charges, making it critical to fight for outcomes that avoid formal convictions. If you hold a professional license, tell us immediately during your consultation so we can structure your defense to minimize licensing consequences.  

We work with licensing defense attorneys when necessary to protect both your criminal case and your professional career.