Where can I find an escort-friendly lawyer?

[fishfry]

A semipro friend of mine (guys please don't send me a hundred requests for her phone number) is very paranoid about being busted. She works out of her apartment. She wants to know, if she were busted, what would happen? Can she get thrown out of her apt for that? Is it a misdemeanor or felony? What happens to first time offenders?

I'm thinking that the best thing to do would be for her to go see an attorney familiar with both the theory and practice of escort & prostitution law in NYC.

Can anyone here recommend someone? I know there are a few agency owners who read this board. If anyone can recommend a good attorney who can speak to my friend, I'd be grateful.

Feel free to contact me by private email rather than put some attorney's name on this board and subject him to a hundred guys calling and saying, "Hey do you know any gals who do bbbj?"

fish

 

[RY200S]

First, when the NYPD arrives, open the door. They probably have someone in the apartment who has gotten the right (rather, wrong) statements from the lady and he has sent a signal to the other officers. If she does not open the door, they will use a batttering ram and break it down. The neighbors will know for sure then. By the way, they will seize all cash in the apartment and later bring a civil forfeiture proceeding.

Second, if it is a one lady operation, it is only a misdemeanor. It will be approximately 24 hours before she is brought before a judge. She will spend the night in the truly depressing holding area at 100 Centre St where she can only make collect phone calls. If she intends to get an attorney, be civil with the police officer at the precinct to which she is first taken. She can make those calls at the precinct at NYC's expense. If she must leave an answering machine message, make sure to state the time of arrest, the precinct of arrest, the arresing officer's name and the section of the Penal Law that she is being charged under. Be civil to to police, but make NO statements, they will note everything she says and they will be read back to her at the arraignment as "incriminating statements".
When taken before the judge she can accept the free Legal Aid lawyer, her own lawyer will have to wait an expensive several hours to time his arrival for arraignment.

Third, at the arraignment, if she is really in doubt as to what to do, plead "not guilty". Since it is only a misdemeanor, she will be released "ROR", that is without bail and the case will be rescheduled for another date, when she can have her own lawyer present. Almost invariably the DA will offer an ACD, an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal. If she has no trouble with the law for 6 months, the charges are dismissed, the records are sealed, and she may legally state that she has never been arrested. She will have to take a mandatory Court given class on Sexually transmitted diseases within the next few weeks. The second time, she will probably be offered a plea to a violation such as Disorderly Conduct. A violation is an "offense" and not technically a "crime". In a year, that record will also be sealed. She will be required to do 2 days of community service, usually at a a degrading assignment at a Parks Department facility.
The arrest will take its toll on her. The first 24 hours will truly be sheer hell. For the next few days she will be afraid the work. And the fear will last several months, at least. Not all, but most cops will be obnoxious and try to break her down. Once she is in handcuffs they will never let her go before appearing before a judge. So, don't bother trying to talk yourself out of it--it can only backfire. Remain calm, do not lose your cool, brace yourself for an ugly night. But it will be over.

 

[Slinky Bender]

Aside from RY's answer:

Yes, she can lose her appartment, but as usual with the law "it depends". The grounds for losing her appartment stem from "creating a nuisance". Some of it will depend on whether the DA's office or whoever is handling the offense decides to bring a civil case for such a nuisance. The landlord can be brought in to such a case for "allowing" the activity, and can be fined for such ( and can be fined daily and "retroactively" from the date of the first instance the offense was noted ). The landlord may then request the DA's office to produce what is known as a "Red Back" complaint, which the landlord may use to go to L&T and use as a basis for eviction. On premises criminal activity is a grounds for eviction under any lease, and it is one of the few items for which it is not essential for the tenant to have the opportunity to "cure".

If she is truly paranoid about this, I would suggest not waiting until it occurs to do something. I would suggest finding an attorney, meeting with them, and setting up a procedure for her to follow "in the event".

 

[RoosterC74]

Wow-Never Thought Of That

Guys,

Great thread, on an interesting topic. Wow-you would think Rudy and the rest of the mayors would leave these lovely girls alone, when all they are trying to do is make a somewhat honest living. I guess Rudy would rather they be in the unemployment line. He needs a reality check.

As for me, and I am somewhat giving away my age at this point in time, bring back John Lindsay and Abe Beame-and the good old days-Wink! Wink!

[Edited by RoosterC74 on 08-06-2001 at 08:41 AM]

 

[RY200S]

The APM's point is well taken. However the civil nuisance proceedings are generally saved for the larger operations. I assume that the lady's apartment has no history of complaints, otherwise she would have been arrested by now. That is why I suggest that when the police come, go in peace. The more fuss she makes the more likely her arrest will come to the attention of the neighbors. If the neighbors know too much, social pressure, rather than legal pressure will force her to leave the apartment. Conducting a commercial business in a residental apartment is enough to permit the landlord to evict her. The superintent probably knows what is going on, so some gratuity is likely to be in order. He probably would prefer an occassional gratuity from a working girl than receive nothing by an annoying old lady. The super is then likely to be protective of her with the landloard. In a residential building it is imperative that both the lady and her client be discreet.

 

[RY200S]

By the way, be careful what items are kept in the apartment. If there is a computer, the police are likely to seize it. Answering machines, caller ID boxes and Caller ID phones will also be taken as evidence. So too, any notebooks, scraps of paper, etc., that appear to be either financial or client records will be taken as evidence. After the charges are resolved, you will have a hard time getting any of this back. The police are taking these thing, among other reasons, to bolster their case against the lady. Absent truly extraordinary circumstances, such as serious assault or murder investigation, they will not contact the client. Do not keep too large a supply of condoms around as police will say this is evidence of prostitution. Clearly, used condoms should be promptly disposed. The police will note their presence but keep a mile away for fear of aids.

 

[Slinky Bender]

I know a girl who keeps her books at the bottom of a trash can that she keeps a bunch of ( fake ) used condoms in. Doesn't use it for anything else ( like trash ).

 

[fishfry]

Fake used condoms? How does she get them filled up? Perhaps she needs a volunteer.