Solicitation charges hit harder than most people expect — Texas treats offering or agreeing to pay for sex as a state jail felony from the very first offense, not a minor misdemeanor. A Houston solicitation lawyer can explain exactly what changed under current Texas law and how to protect your record.
What the Charge Requires
- An offer or agreement to pay: Knowingly offering or agreeing to pay a fee to another person in exchange for sexual conduct.
- No actual act required: The offense is complete at the point of the offer or agreement — frequently made to an undercover officer in a sting operation.
How Texas Punishes It
- State jail felony: The baseline charge for a first offense — 180 days to 2 years in state jail.
- Third-degree felony: Applies with a prior conviction under this statute.
- Second-degree felony: Applies if the person solicited was younger than 18, regardless of whether the actor knew the person’s age.
Where These Cases Are Defended
Sting operations are the source of most solicitation charges, and entrapment, ambiguous communications, and mistaken identity are all live issues. Whether the offer or agreement was actually made — and by whom — is frequently disputed once the full record is reviewed.
Charged With Solicitation? Contact Blass Law Now
Contact Blass Law for a confidential case evaluation or call (713)-664-4000 — this is a felony charge from day one and deserves to be treated like one.