The Salem News reported that a 31 year old man pleaded guilty in the Essex County Superior Court this past Wednesday for deriving support from prostitution, procuring a person for prostitution and soliciting for prostitution. The defendant, Trevor Jones had previously worked as a telemarketer, a landscaper and in retail before becoming a pimp. According to reports, Jones was making thousands of dollars per week in his new trade. The article continued that Jones forced at least two drug-addicted and desperate women into prostitution. He demanded that the women bring him at least $1,000 per night. The investigation leading to this prosecution started when one of Jones victims reported these activities to police. Jones and another were then tracked to motels and hotels all over the North Shore, including places in Peabody, Danvers, Middleton, Salem and Saugus. Police also learned that Jones met the women at parties and invited them to stay with him, while also providing them drugs, Afterwards Jones would require the women to work the streets in downtown Boston while also arranging meetings with male customers at motels and hotels. All of the money made by the women would be surrendered to Jones. Jones was sentenced to 2-5 years in state prison. He will also be on probation for 5 years after he is released. Jones was already on probation for a similar case in Andover. He will likely face a probation violation. Read entire article, Salem Daily News.
The primary statute under which Jones was sentenced is Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272 Section 7. That statute makes it a crime for anyone to derive any means of support or maintenance from the earnings or proceeds of his prostitution. There is a maximum state prison sentence of 5 years and a minimum mandatory sentence of 2 years. Soliciting a person for prostitution is a crime in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272 Section 8. The statute reads that anyone who “shall solicit or receive compensation for soliciting for a prostitute shall be punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or both.” Procuring a person for prostitution is a violation of G.L. c. 272 Sec. 12. That statute states that anyone who procures a person to practice prostitution shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than two years.
As you can see from this case, there are several statutes that pertaining directly to pimping in Massachusetts. Hiring an experienced Massachusetts sex crimes defense attorney is a decision that might impact how your case is ultimately resolved. For some sex crimes convictions you are facing a mandatory registration with the Massachusetts Sex Offenders Registry Board, also known as SORB. If you have a case involving a sex crime we encourage you to call our office now.