I am going to be honest with you guys and tell you the whole story. A year ago, my marriage was going through a rough rough patch. I traveled to Seattle for some business and sought the services of an independent provider (for the first and last time of my life) who was well reviewed. Yesterday, she sent an email in which she said that she got busted in LE sting operation, and that the LE got hold of her phone/reference book. She advised me to change my cell number and cancel my free email account, which is very nice of her. However, this also means that LE has my cell number, my work number and my name. Do LE have any legal recourse against me? Can they contact me and make my already rocky marriage a living hell? I am scared shitless. Please advice.
Thank you
Odds are you won't be facing any legal troubles. Unless you're local, it'd be more trouble for the Seattle PD than it'd be worth for them. I'm not sure about Washington, but in most places, solicitation is a misdemeanor, not worth going out of their way for. If you're from a different state, they have even more issues to deal with.
Problems with your marriage or at work are another thing. They could very well contact you trying to interview you about her. If changing your cell number wouldn't be too more hassle to explain, I'd do that. They're probably not going to be doing things particularly harrassingly, but they're not going to be discreet if the try to contact you. Even if they don't point out any specifics about what they want to talk to you about, it might be tough to explain away why the Seattle police wanted to talk to you at all.
I don't think any DA would proceed to try you based only on having found your phone number on an alleged escort's phone book.
However, some police departments have been know to call the homes of people they suspect may be "Johns" to embarrass them and try to disuade them from ever seeing a prostitute again.
The Boston police, at one time, would take down license plate number of cars parked in Boston's once notorious "Combat Zone" and find out the address of that vehicle and send a letter out describing penalties of solicitation of prostituion. I bet that made some divorce lawyers happy.
Here's hoping that the Seattle Police have better things to do with their time.
(Still not a lawyer)
-- Modified on 11/20/2006 10:00:11 AM
don't worry sweetie, I lived in Seattle a long time they are cool about this violation, it is almost decriminalized,,a year ago is a long time ago worst case they can call & ASK QUESTIONS to be safe change your cell number & if they somehow call you on another number or something be very polite and say "sorry don't recall any encounter or such person , maybe someone got a hold of a buisness card." be very polite and hang up you are NOT obliged to talk to these cops
Seattle law enforcement could harass you and make your marriage a living hell. They could call you up for "investigatory purposes. I would doubt that the King County Prosecuting Attorney would press any patronizing prostitution charges, because of a lack of evidence. There is no evidence of a sexual act, let alone a sexual act for a fee. However, the provider in question could testify, and then it would be a very different situation.
You're filling his head with the (very) technical what they COULD do, but we all know that it is HIGHLY unlikely that police officers will contact a man in another state when the MOST that either he or the escort faces is a tiny misdemeanor. Sure, they MIGHT call him on the phone and ask him about the escort (to try and build a case against her) but if she has a rolodex with entries dating back over a year, the economist inside of me says that they are far more likely to stick with local phone numbers.
Boombabob: Take a deep breath and relax. In the .01% chance you ever get a phone call, you just say that you do not wish to speak to them (hang up), and then go change your phone number. Do not even change it until that happens.
The timing of this seems to indicate that this might have been part of that sting where 8 ladies and 104 men were busted in Seattle. I do not think that they need to be flying (strong-armed) witnesses in from out of state to make a simple misdemeanor prostitution case.
You are scared because the escort called you back and in the same conversation said "police". Relax, you most likely have zero to worry about. It's not illegal to be in her rolodex. If they are trying to charge her with crimes above and beyond mere prostitution (such as operating a criminal enterprise), they will most likely contact local guys. I'd say you have a 99.999% chance of NOT being called by anyone.
Sounds to me that this lady showed her professionalism by letting you know something was up, so that you could perhaps be better prepared if that .01% chance did end up happening.
Just relax. Exhale
that thinks that her keeping personally identifiable information about him was inexcusable of her?
Granted, she did right by warning him, but WHY was the information there for L.E. to find...
Pocketfisherman: If you learn anything about women, learn this...Women keep mementos of most EVERYTHING.
And assume that every escort you have ever seen has kept details about you or your contact information on file somewhere. They may say they are "discreet", but that does not mean they do not have an elaborate file system going. Some do not even know WHY they keep such information ("In case they need it someday").
But remember, even though many (most) require it, no one is forcing you to be with ladies who require gaining personal details about you. It really makes very little sense, because if something ever happened where the police need to find so-and-so who saw her on such-and-such a night, trust me, they could find him if need be. I think it has more to do with the subtle aire of blackmail. It keeps everyone in line (hopefully).
If you want a reference from a lady, do you really expect her to remember you from several dozen encounters ago without keeping some kind of info about you? If the ladies are not discrete, they won't be in the hobby very long, since no one will call them a second time.
Not sure if your troubles stem from this latest sting, the focus seems to be targeting Craigslist.
Also......not sure what it means they (Seattle Gov.) are decriminalizing it........most men are more worried about the stigma and judgements placed upon them by their wife's, family and friends vs. a misdemeanor conviction.
I got the same email about a week after being out there back in (August?) At that time she claimed that SHE was LE and that I might be contacted... Whatever.... I think it's someone just trying to screw with the guys using CL out there... Never heard another word about it after that email. Just be cautious of you're ever back out there and do as I always do... Give a false room number... right across the hall from where you arelly are, and NEVER, EVER use your real name. The room thing you ask?.... You'll be able to see if 1) the girl is really the one you've been talking to and 2) if she's traevling with a pack of buddies (cops or worse, thugs)... The name? Why the hell would you ever give your real name or use your real email account when breaking the law? One more note: NEVER use the free internet in the hotel room unless it's wireless.... The likehood of them actually finding YOUR laptop on the 'wireless' network in nill... They can't be knocking on 120 doors trying to find the one that's ties to an mail account that is not even in your own real name... Get it?