Hi everyone

Thought I would share some info...A friend in  LA was a newer provider busted on a P charge a couple months back. Because of her day job she has been fighting to reduce charges...She's never been busted for ANYTHING but one of the things the prosecutor is "holding" against her most is that she HAD A WEBSITE..
The prosecutor is defining that as a "sophisticated operation"...so basically in his eyes, she could of been working the streets and they would be more willing to deal lesser charged BUT becuase she was ORGANIZED and trying to BE SAFE...they are being HARDER...

The Situation SUCKS....

It sounds like your friend is trying to defend herself, which is a really bad idea.  She should hire a lawyer if she can.  If she can't, she should get a public defender.

Prosecutors are generally harder on streetwalkers, not easier.  This is because streetwalkers are a "quality of life" issue for their neighborhoods.  Ladies who stay in doors aren't seen that way unless someone complains.  Police sometimes go after them anyway, but the ladies on the sidewalk are generally higher priorities.

I had a friend who was busted on CL,twice within 2 months in LA.She had a website,a prior in OC and also in Phoenix,Hawaii and Vegas.The first conviction was probabtion and then the 2nd was a fine.

I don't know why they are being so hard on your friend.Does she have a lawyer?

Sometimes it is best to keep pushing off the case until it goes in front of a more liberal judge.

Website does not matter how hard they are on you .
it doesn't mean their "organized crime" there has to be something else she has on her record or has done to bring that kind of heat .
Never defend yourself. Or speak without legal help first.

a case.

They cant search a website without a warrant. even with that stupid patriot act.If they did that they WILL pull your site & inform you of the action against you.
Site hosts still have to comply with their  TOU. that you agreed to regardless.
Anybody could make a site about anyone & without your or your proxy's express permission to search it would be hard for them to use that in court without it getting thrown out.

Your host HAS to tell you if anything like that happens You should pull it down in case

I  have a couple of thoughts.  One is to look into having your website hosted in a foreign country.  The police would need to go through the Feds in any attempt to get a search warrant served in a foreign country, assuming the other country would  even cooperate.  That  is way, way beyond what any PD is going to do. If I were a provider I would be on the internet searching out places in other countries to host my site.  On account of the favorable dollar exchange rates with Canada, Australia & New Zealand, I would look there first.  The whole country of Iceland is broke, so I would try there as well.  They must be desperate for foreign exchange.   And, it seems the world over all computer people are fluent in English.  This is also why I have a foreign e-mail account, in a country where prostitution has been legalized.  No way a warrant will get accepted and served there.

On the subject of attorneys, providers need to interview lawyers and get one selected BEFORE they get busted.  It is just the smart thing to do. One needs to pre-plan, it is as simple as that.