Minnesota prostitution law

The promotion of prostitution in Minnesota is something definitely frowned upon by law enforcement officials. Penalties are quite harsh for the promotion of the crime, as are penalties for involving minors. With some of the most severe penalties in the country, Minnesota laws address the prohibition of prostitution very clearly.

Prostitution defined

Prostitution is the act of agreeing to engage in or engaging in sexual penetration or contact on a for-hire basis. Sexual contact is defined as intentional touching of intimate/private parts by a prostitute or on a prostitute in order to satisfy sexual urges. The law also specifies sexual penetration as cunnilingus, fellatio, sexual intercourse, anal intercourse or any other intrusion (however slight) into genital or anal openings by any part of another's body or any object used for purposes of satisfying sexual impulses. The emission of semen is unnecessary in order for sexual penetration to occur, according to Minnesota law.

On a first offense, a defendant may be sentenced to jail time for up to 90 days and/or fined up to $1,000. Community service may be substituted for partial sentencing. Second (and additional) offenses may receive a harsher sentence of up to 1 year in jail and a fine up to $3,000.

One who is a patron of a prostitute can be sentenced to a jail term for 90 days and incur a fine of $500. Second and additional offenses are punished with up to 1 year in jail and a fine from $1,500 to $3,000.

Promotion of prostitution

There are several crimes that qualify as the promotion of prostitution. They each have a sentence base of up to 15 years in prison and/or fines up to $30,000. Crimes included are:

Solicitation or procurement of patrons for a prostitute.
Leasing, providing, permitting or allowing the use of a place of premises in order to aid the practice of prostitution.
Managing, owning, operating or supervising a place of prostitution.
Managing, owning, operating or supervising a business of prostitution.
Allowing admission of a patron into a place of prostitution.
Transportation of an individual within the state or into the state for the purpose of prostitution.
Engagement in sex trafficking. (Recruiting, harboring, obtaining, receiving or enticing by any means necessary an individual to practice prostitution and engage in acts of prostitution.

Pimping

Acting as a pimp is illegal in Minnesota. Punishable with a prison term of up to 15 years and/or fines not exceeding $30,000, the act of solicitation is prohibited. This includes the solicitation or inducement of individuals to practice prostitution, promotion of prostitution by a specific individual or receiving profit from a prostitute's earnings. Anytime that a minor under the age of 18 years old is involved the sentence increases to 20 years in prison and fines up to $40,000.

There are exceptions to this law. A minor who is dependent upon a prostitute or a parent over the age of 55 who is unaware of the source of the earnings is not held to this statutes penalties. Additionally, anyone who engages in the sale of goods or services within an ordinary process of business is not found guilty of receiving profit from a prostitute's earnings.

Exceptions and Other Penalties

Sex trafficking victims and victims of labor trafficking are exempt from conviction of prostitution-related crimes.

More severe penalties are given to those who commit crimes in "Park Zones" and "School Zones".

The crime of loitering in a public place is illegal and considered a misdemeanor in Minnesota.

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