New Jersey law includes very strict penalties for those convicted of sex crimes. Those who plead guilty to certain sex offenses or who are found guilty of a sex crime can end up facing significant jail time as well as a lifetime of registration as a sex offender.
The alleged leader of a multi-state prostitution ring based here in Atlantic City has agreed to plead guilty to the charges that he is facing. The charges are very serious: conspiracy to run a prostitution ring in the state of Mississippi, and harboring people in the U.S. without any authorization.
The man was arrested after a sting operation in September, meaning that there are likely many others who are facing or will face charges in relation to the alleged prostitution ring.
The man is also facing charges of sex trafficking as well as immigration violations; he is currently being held in Mississippi and he has asked to be tried on those charges in New Jersey.
Depending on the charges one faces in a sex crimes case, negotiating a plea deal may be the best way to minimize the consequences. However, in many cases it is wise instead to fight the charges at trial. It is sometimes possible to actually have the charges dropped; this might be feasible if police violated the suspect’s rights during an investigation, or if there are other evidentiary issues.
The best option depends entirely on the circumstances of the case, and this is why it is very important for defendants to seek individualized legal counsel when facing serious charges, such as sex offenses.
Source: NBC40.net, “Leader of prostitution ring agrees to plead guilty,” July 11, 2013