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• Preface
• Comments from a Deserving Lady
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As stated in the Overview for this site, there may be confusion about laws related to when, where and how consenting adults can or cannot sensuously enjoy themselves in Texas. Added to this confusion is the fear of being "busted." In this context, busted means being arrested for prostitution. There is little doubt that the combination of confusion and fear of being busted may result in limiting our behavior unnecessarily.

Of course, many busts are probably legitimate. When two or more adults engage in behavior that meets the legal definition of prostitution, then they should not be shocked or indignant if arrested accordingly. It may often be the case that they simply do not know the law, but that is not sufficient reason for being excused from consequences of their illegal behavior.

Of equal, if not more, interest is what might be called an illegal bust. An illegal bust occurs when one of the consenting adults is a vice cop who arrests the other adult for prostitution even though prostitution has not occured. Vice cops, and their assistants, can legally engage in criminal behavior in order to catch criminals. The police force for which they work may not approve of vice behaving illegally to catch criminals, however it is a possibility. It would be worth learning more about how vice illegally busts consenting adults as well as what options are available to the person being wrongfully arrested.

Though vice cops, and their assistants, are apparently allowed to engage in criminal behavior in order to catch criminals, there are sometimes limits to what they can get away with. A 17 year old girl pulled a reverse sting and got several police officers suspended, disciplined, or demoted. Noticeable by its absence, were any arrests or convictions of police officers for their misbehavior. While somewhat protected from the law, vice cops are vulnerable to administrative punishment.

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Several times I've read reports on the Internet about instances of illegal busts occurring. However, sufficient details are almost never provided to fully determine whether prostitution, as legally defined, had actually occurred or been avoided. Finally, though, a very bright and informed lady was willing to share an experience she had. She was patient enough to allow me to ask numerous follow-up questions. Her experience, my questions and her responses are provided below:

Clarity:
I understand you may have been illegally busted recently. Would you be willing to share more about your experience so the rest of us could be better informed?

Lady:
The bottom line is Vice can lie about being cops and do whatever they want to "get" a girl arrested. In my case there was no exchange of money, no talk of money, and they touched me and had me undressed before I could say boo. There was no video or audio of the event only the word of two cops against my word. I do not know how they got my name and email address. But I was advertising on the newsgroups and on an Internet site. All in all, it's my butt and I have to watch out for it. The thing that really sucks is that I've had to be a lot more careful these days and possibly not see legit guys.

My best advice to the guys is don't mention money at all. Find a girl that is a flat fee, no tips, full service and pay as you leave quietly laying the money on a nightstand or the pillow. If she's not what you wanted don't go back, but do your homework beforehand and get some info from a person that's already been with her. I don't answer ANY questions on what acts will be performed, limitations, or for extra $ can I ______? What we all need is some way to communicate about possible vice cops and stings. If we can keep the lines of communication going maybe we can avoid some further instances.

Clarity:
Thanks for the more detailed description of your experience with vice. It's been hard for me to get at the details of what goes on during a bust in order to pass on experiences from which we all can learn. You and others have convinced me that vice, and their assistants, can do just about whatever they want before and during the bust. Our efforts to seek justice may have to take place after the bust. I still have one specific question about the bust, if you don't mind. You were very clear about not talking about or handling any money during the session. The other ingredient of "prostitution" is bartering sexual conduct for a fee. Was there any discussion of what you would do for what amount of money? You mentioned there was no talk of money, so I'm guessing you did not discuss sexual conduct for a fee but I just wanted to be really clear on this.

I think for many busts, the lady will either accept money or discuss sexual conduct for a fee. In these cases vice can legally arrest the lady. However, as we all are becoming more knowledgeable about this process, I'm hearing more and more ladies doing as you are doing - no talk or handling of money and no talk of sexual conduct. This faces vice with a situation of running the risk of arresting a lady for prostitution when she has actually not engaged in prostitution. It sounds like in your case you did not engage in prostitution since you kept money out of the interaction. Then you got busted. At the point of being under arrest I'm wondering what are your (or any lady's) options or things that you or any lady might consider doing:

- get the badge numbers and names of the vice cops
- provide only your name and address
- answer all further questions with the phrase "I'll need my lawyer present to answer that question."
- contact a lawyer familiar with prostitution law and prostitutuion cases; this raises the issue of how much a lawyer will cost
- if the vice officer engaged in prostitution before or during the arrest, notify the Internal Affairs Division of his or her police department
- explore the financial trade-off of pleading guilty to the charge vs. hiring a lawyer. This brings up the issue of how much it will cost to prove your innocence
- assuming the lady's innocence is determined, what can be legally done to punish vice for the false arrest.

Well, as you can see, I mostly have questions and very few answers. I would like to start exploring and collecting information about the above issues. If you have comments or suggestions about any of the above, I'd appreciate learning about them. Your previous message reallistically describes how vice can and does bust ladies who may not have engaged in prostitution.

Clarity had asked: Was there any discussion of what you would do for what amount of money?

Lady:
No, as anyone who's been with me knows I'm very friendly but non-sexual before any act has occured. I don't talk sex or acts at all. In fact if they ask me my specialty or what I like to do, I simply answer with non sexual answers like "I cook very well and I make a mean cup of coffee!!" (hahaha) In this particular instance, I said about 2 words the whole time before the arrest. I was nervous for doing two men and they in of themselves made me uncomfortable. I just couldn't beleive that such good friends that were about to have sex with a woman at the same time were so weird with each other. No, I didn't say anything about sex or what was going to be done. The one guy that was sitting on my couch while the other one went to the bathroom did ask me "is this all for free?" I was in the process of getting his penis out of his pants and played like I was having trouble with his belt and DID NOT respond at all, not even a laugh or body gesture. I think the whole setup was to make sure I was going to have sex and then regardless of the exchange of money it would be my word against two vice cops. They could easily back up each other's stories. That's why I don't do couples or two guys anymore.

Another thing I do now is check the person out a bit more with http://www.publicdata.com. They can even check me out that if I'm doing incall that I do live where I've sent them and Vice usually doesn't operate out of their own home.

Clarity wrote: It sounds like in your case you did not engage in prostitution since you kept money out of the interaction.

Lady:
Yeah, I never saw the money or anything. The one guy asked, "what we agreed on the net right?" and when I didn't respond the other guy just said lay it on the counter.

Clarity wrote: What about getting the badge numbers and names of the vice cops?

Lady:
I did and I do plan on filing a complaint but I'm still waiting on getting my belongings back first. They had 30 days from the date the case was settled to file a civil case against me to try to keep my property and the 30 days was [date deleted]. They still haven't filed a case and I still can't get a straight answer from either my lawyer or them.

Clarity wrote: What about providing only your name and address?

Lady:
I did. But in this I had to go get my purse out of the closet. So when I grabbed the purse they had a right to search it and found my datebook. It didn't have anything other than "Tom 6pm" in it, no amount or sex acts performed. Now I keep my ID in a place that if I do get arrested again all I have to do is grab that and we're out the door on our way to the happy jail!!!!

Clarity wrote: What about answering all further questions with the phrase "I'll need my lawyer present to answer that question."?

Lady:
They kept asking me where the drugs were. I don't do drugs, so that was a joke. Anyway, I just kept saying over and over again, all the way to jail, " it was just two guys coming over to have a good time".

Clarity wrote: What about contacting a lawyer familiar with prostitution law and prostitutuion cases"?

Lady:
I did this and I feel in a way that I got screwed again. He advertises in [name of local newspaper deleted] and claims to handle cases like mine. Now I'm not that keen on lawyers to begin with but he was less than helpful. At times he would even ask me what I'd been arrested for. I've told him since [date deleted] ( when the case was resolved) that I'd been down to Vice trying to get my property back and every time I call him he tells me just to go down there and get it because the case has been resolved. I was not that impressed with him. [name deleted] is his name.

Clarity wrote: How much will a lawyer cost?

Lady:
Actually, for what I paid I guess I got what I paid for. The first time the court date had to be reset because he was on another case of a gang rape of an escort and couldn't get out of court. Then we reset and he showed up the second time, and now trying to get the property back months later. I only paid him $400/cash.

Clarity wrote: What about notifying the Internal Affairs Division of the police force?

Lady:
I do plan on doing so, but after I get my property back or it is legally resolved that I can't get it back.

Clarity wrote: This brings up the issue of how much it will cost to prove your innocence.

Lady:
My lawyer's fee was going to be a minimum of $1500/cash up front, deferred adjudication is the best way to go I think. But that in itself seems like a goal for Vice to arrest you again just so it breaks your court aggreement and puts both arrests on your record. I just plead guilty because I literally was having a breakdown by the time we went to court, it was $350 and I could walk out of there and know that it was over and I took it.

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Most major Texas cities have a county lawyer referral service if there is a local Bar Association in the city or county. These services can be called for names of lawyers with expertise in certain areas of the law. When I asked about a lawyer with expertise in prostitution cases, I was given the name of a criminal lawyer that handles misdemeanors for solicitation. It is my understanding, that for $25 I could make an appointment with the lawyer to discuss the options for handling my case, if I had a case.

The following are phone numbers for lawyer referral services in:

• Austin : 512-472-8303
• Dallas : 214-220-7444
• Houston : 800-289-4577

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The Clarity site does not encourage nor condone illegal sexual conduct. Offering, agreeing, or engaging in sexual conduct for a fee is prostitution which is illegal in Texas. Illegal prostitution should be avoided. As consenting adults, it is hoped that we can safely enjoy the free sharing of sexual favors, if that is our desire.