Sex trafficking cases under scrutiny in Boston
For the first time in 20 years, Boston has a new mayor. Martin Walsh was elected to replace outgoing Mayor Thomas Menino. During the campaign, crime reduction was an especially important area of emphasis. Mayor Walsh has pledged to reduce the number of serious crimes happening within the city, and has recently appointed a new police commissioner to help him carry out his initiatives.
In particular, special attention is being focused on certain sex crimes that have been on the increase in the city. Specifically, officials are very concerned about the number of individuals being forced to participate in sex trafficking rings, and will be devoting significant resources toward investigating those crimes.
In sex trafficking types of cases, there are women and young girls (some even underage) being held against their will who are being forced to perform sexual services for individuals that pay for these services. Sometimes these are being run out of legitimate businesses, and it can take time for police to discover locations where these events are occurring.
When one of these rings is uncovered, police will have many different potential targets that they will be focused on apprehending. Those who are in charge of the operation will be facing significant penalties, which can include extensive prison time. In some situations, these cases may even result in federal charges, which carry much more severe punishments.
The customers of the ring may also be facing substantial penalties if they are convicted of a crime. Even soliciting a prostitute can result in potential charges for these individuals. These crimes often receive a great deal of attention in the local media, and this attention can lead to even more problems for the people charged with a sex offense. Not only will they have to deal with the case in the criminal justice system, but they may have to try to clear their names in public.
If you have been charged with a sex crime, you must contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. You may not have ever been arrested before, and you need to know exactly what charges you are facing and the potential penalties.
Your attorney will be able to help you understand the seriousness of these accusations, and will begin immediately preparing a strong defense to the charges. This includes offering you advice throughout the process, and also preparing your case for trial. You need to be sure that the steps that you are taking do not result in more problems in the future.
