Certainly LE could try any of the ruses you refer to, but I would say that it is rare.  For LE, it's easier to do the tried and true set up on BP and bust guys as they come to the motel room they are planted in.

Someone mentioned on here a while back that some judge refused to find guilt in a case where the client and the provider had a demonstrable social element to their meetings, and whether he compensated her or not for her time or other offerings, it was not prosecutable.

Certainly a SD type relationship would fall under that.

On the other hand, LE can always try to bring charges, and that's enough to ruin your day, so discretion and carefulness are still the order of the day.

Know whom you're dealing with.

(still not a lawyer)

Is sugar dating legal?  Yes.

What do you guys/girls think?  I think SD/SB arrangements are a rip off.  You will be spending a lot of money over a period of time on just one woman who is really just an escort to you anyway.  So you kind of forgo seeing other escorts with the money that you are paying.  If you don't want to be a SD anymore, you have to "break up" or whatever.  Why would anybody want to deal with all that?  That's my opinion anyway.  

Can a cop post himself/herself as SD/SB trying to trap you if that is illegal?  Well it is not illegal to enter into a relationship, no matter how shallow it may be.

if she is really an escort, could I be in trouble?  No, because you are not directly offering money for sexual services.  What you are doing is paying her because you are "generous" and then there are sexual services, all because you are in a relationship.  All of it is perfectly legal as far as I know, no matter how ridiculous it may seem that this is legal, while prostitution is not legal.    

Am I being too chicken or should I be cautious knowing that she is an escort girl?  You need to understand one premise, pretty much every girl on a site like that is really going to be a prostitute no matter what they tell you.  What do you think you are paying them for anyway?  As for this particular escort, if you are uncomfortable dealing with this particular woman for any reason, then move on to someone else.  

Could LE be following her or set her up to bust guys like me?  Unlikely, unless she is really an undercover cop.  Besides, SD/SB dating isn't illegal anyway.  

Escorts can also have private life right?  Of course, yes.  Escorting is just a job.  When they are not doing their job, they have a private life, just like everybody else.  

I am not responding to her ad on the backpage or something. I met her on a dating site and we exchanged e-mails. I didn't know that she is an escort. That would be my defense if got busted.... Tell all that to a defense lawyer if you ever get busted, don't tell it to the cops.  When you say things like that to the cops, they will cherry pick your words in an out of context manner and put it in their police report to make you seem like a liar.  In this case, you are going to slip up if you are saying "I didn't respond to her ad on backpage... I didn't know she was an escort"... Well they just caught you in a lie right there because you are contradicting yourself.  

Do cops listen or they don't care?  Yes, they listen.  Anything you say to them can and will be used in a court of law against you.  So they build a stronger case against you the more you talk.  You are not talking yourself out of an arrest after you have been caught.  But again, you are talking about doing things that are not even illegal in the first place.  

Has anyone here been a sugar daddy?  Not me.  
 

For the simple fact that LE doesn't have the resources to chase down those one on one gigs.  But make NO mistake...it is indeed prostitution.  And if so inclined can and would be prosecuted as such.  To equate that as a mistress/lover relationship is folly, as YOU met the gal advertising on a SD board...and as such the argument is that she is seeking $$$ for sex.  To think you can spin that any other way is again...pure folly.

As well, you comment that this particular gal is also advertising her availability as a hooker on escort malls.  How much more of a map do you need?  To wit...many gals advertising on SD/sb are also hookers.

The reality however is that LE simply doesn't chase many of the gals that are independent hookers either...simply too much of an effort for too little of the pizazz that they like to use to show they are doing a bang-up job cleaning the streets.

As mr-blonde suggested....to pay some gal $$$ for a SD gig generally is more expensive than simply seeing well-reviewed hookers.  As well, some sb's get possessive...and will blow up your cell if you don't pay enough attention to them (read that as she needs her bills paid quickly).

As for a defense...STFU if asked.  Call an attorney (one that is licensed to practice and not those pretending to be attorney's on TER).  Or babble your bullshit...LE is always interested in listening to your nonsense.  That makes for fun and games in front of a judge LOL

Don't get so mesmerized about the illegalities of SD/sb.  Be more fearful of the gal going BSC on you when you want to move along.  That can be a huge mess...and if you have something to hide that will be significantly more likely to blow up than LE ever showing up.

SD/sb is an illegal transaction...don't believe otherwise.  No matter how much you want to spin the story.