...has me baffled.

I literally just stumbled into this world a few days ago. I see a lot of talk of LE on here.

Now, all I've ever heard, is that the "John" never gets into any trouble (i.e. the Elliot Spitzer Case - former Governor of New York).

Am I completely in the dark about this? And if so, what kinds of legal situations are the "Johns" looking at?

I think the fear of LE is overblown. I don't think most police departments have the actions of discrete consenting adults as their number one concern.

It is kind of like when they send meter readers out to give parking tickets. The chances are huge you could let your meter run out and no one would be around to issue a ticket for hours(or all day). But they do it just often enough that everyone keeps an eye on their watch and rush out to feed the meter one minute before it expires.

This makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

However, it really doesn't answer a single question that I posed or clear up any of my confusion.

The John(we call them Hobbyist here) definitely will be arrested. Sometimes fake ads are posted to lure them in, or an undercover policewoman will wait for a guy to proposition her, and then bust him. Hobbyist need to fear this.

I'll need someone else to answer the punishment question. I'm sure some states are more harsh than others. A person with prior convictions(for whatever) probably would be in more trouble than someone with a squeaky clean record.

I'd also like to know the punishments for soliciting.

You might want to check out the legal corner board if you haven't already for more discussion about le. The hobby is illegal, and while police depts are strapped, they do have vice departments and they are active. Yes they usually go for the low hanging fruit, but a cavalier attitude about le may just get you into a lot of trouble. Do a google alert for the word prostitution, and you will see clients get busted everyday. It might not be a priority, but it does happen.  As far as Elliot Spitzer, no he didn't get prosecuted, he just had to resign as Gov of NY and will never run for public office again and face the wrath of his wife.

what kind of charge does a client face?

again, during the Elliot Spitzer debacle, all i kept hearing on virtually every major news network was that the client faced no penalties, only the provider.

how could I have heard that just a couple years ago and now be told that clients face charges?

soliciting is a misdemeanor and while officially punishable by jail time, a fine and court costs will most likely be all you will face.

The real costs are job status, public embarrassment if it gets into the papers (Some newspapers have taken it upon themselves to post photos of perps as sort of a scarlet A thing.) and the biggest cost of all:  divorce or somehow appeasing the SO.  (Ask Kobe Bryant about the cost of a two carat pink diamond sometime.)

So far, conviction for soliciting is not a crime that requires registration as a sex offender, but some areas are looking into that.

In some areas you might have to attend a class on STDs, and if you have subsequent arrests you might be put on probabion, but that is extremely rare.

However, if you live in Phoenix, all bets are off thanks to Sheriff Joe.

But here is the good news:  I have been hobbying for over 35 years, and have seen over 200 gals many times in that time.  I haven't even come close to contact with LE, and until I discovered TER a few years ago, I had no way to really tell if someone was LE or not.

Seeing well reviewed providers will eliminate the possibility of getting busted to almost nil.

That's the ticket.

(still not a lawyer)

You seem to be most concerned about any specific charges or prosecution you may face if arrested.  Secondly, you seem to believe that police departments have better things to do than lay in wait for johns looking to score with prostitutes.

Here is the basic fact of participating in this "hobby."  You and only you can do your own personal cost/risk/benefit analysis.

If you want to play it as safe as possible, read all the advice on these boards regarding how best to avoid finding yourself in handcuffs.  Maybe you will miss out on some opportunities.  Or you may end up paying more for a safer provider.

If you are more risk tolerant, then you can play a little more on the fringes.  Maybe take a chance on that BackPage hottie with no reviews.

Perhaps you do not have much at stake when it comes to employment or community or home life if you are caught by LE.  As you say, usually the john gets off without jail time.  If you are self-employed and have no significant other and don't have to worry about public opinion, then you have fewer constraints.

I know that I almost got caught in a legal sting within the fist few months I was doing this.  Thankfully, I had learned a few things by reading the advice of others here and was wary enough to make a decision to bail on the appointment.

It's like wearing a superhero uniform!

In my jurisdication, the 'punishment' if a day of "John School" costing $300, but the real punishment is court time taken off with no regard for your schedule and no explanation you'd like to give anyone, Lawyer fees ($1000 plus), 16 plus hours in Jail initially as a caged animal waiting for initial processing, a couple hours cuffed, and concealment from your other life.

If that's no sweat to you, then proceed with the idea of John's not punished.