Law enforcement now has identified what they think is a different type of pimp as it relates to sex crimes in Los Angeles.  Most classic pimps related to pimping and pandering charges in Los Angeles have to do with someone who fits the stereotypical prototype of someone who's mean, beats the women who work for him, threatens them, takes all their money.  So, this will be the classic pimp.

Romeo Pimps and a Love Relationship

Today's pimp, supposedly, is this Romeo pimp who is nice to women — let's them share some of the money — more of a love relationship with the woman that are under him, that are working for him versus the classic pimp who rules with an iron fist and is very dangerous.

So, I'm seeing a lot of cases file now where people are very nice to the women involved, and a lot of it is centering around the police putting women out on the street.

For example, they're all over Sepulveda Boulevard right now, and pretending like the police woman is a prostitute and then the guy comes up, starts talking to them and a lot of times the guy is not necessarily looking for sex, but is looking to get a woman who he can make money with, and that's what the police are targeting.

Police Entrapment

But, what I'm seeing a lot which I really think in some circumstances amounts to entrapment is the police woman bringing up all the stuff that would make it a pimping and pandering charge, versus the individual who is meeting with the police woman.

Who arguably might just be looking to have sex with the woman and the woman is pushing the guy towards sharing some of the profit and being involved in the criminal enterprise in pimping and pandering.

If you're in one of these circumstances, obviously you're going to want to talk to an attorney, and what I'm typically looking at as a criminal defense attorney is whether or not, obviously, my client is being entrapped, whether my client is predisposed to become involved in this prostitution/pimp relationship.

But, unfortunately, a lot of the audio tapes that I'm hearing because this Romeo pimp situation they're audio-recording the conversation between the police woman and the individual who they think is a Romeo pimp.

I'm hearing the guy agreeing to sharing the profit with the woman, helping the woman get a hotel, driving the woman around, helping protect the woman, that is typically what a pimp will do.

California Pimping and Pandering Charges

So, if you're stupid enough to get yourself in this type of a circumstance, you're going to be looking at a minimum of three years in prison when it comes to a pimping and pandering charge.

Fortunately, what I'm seeing in a lot of these Romeo pimp situations, the prosecutors do not view that particular pimp as harshly as they view somebody who is involved with weapons.

One who's threatening the women, who's keeping all the money, who's hurting the women.  So, a lot of times we can get a different charge than a pimping and pandering charge,  something that will keep the person out of prison if they are good for the crime.

So, obviously, if you're talking to somebody and it's a police woman and you're agreeing to help that purpose engage in sexual activities for money, you walk a very dangerous line of being classified as someone who's involved in pimping and pandering.

Defenses for Romeo Pimp Charges in Los Angeles

If you have this circumstance, you should hire an attorney immediately.  Give him all the information because you have to realize, your circumstances nowadays has likely been tape recorded.

So, your attorney will have a chance to hear everything that you said to the police woman, hear whether you agreed to be involved in this Romeo pimp situation, and obviously, is going to be able to at best, advise you at that point, but you might as well just give them all the information right from the beginning.

You were involved in the conversation.  You know what you were intending to do and what you weren't intending to do.

But, if you were caught on Sepulveda Boulevard doing any sort of activity with somebody who's a prostitute, you can bet your bottom dollar that you're going to be charged.

Because the police know on or near Sepulveda Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley, and even on Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles, they know that pimping and pandering activities are going on, prostitution activities going on and they're looking to stamp out that type of activity, arrest people, put them on probation, send them to prison.

So, if you've got one of these cases, pick up the phone.  Make the call.  Let my 25 years of experience go to work for you.