Montana PROSTITUTION LAWS

Montana Prostitution Laws

Chapter 5. Offenses Against The Person | Part 6. Offenses Against the Family

Prostitution — Patronizing Prostitute – Exception – 45-5-601.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2)(a), the offense of prostitution is committed if a person engages in or agrees or offers to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual contact that is direct and not through clothing with another person for compensation, whether the compensation is received or to be received or paid or to be paid.

(2) (a) A prostitute may be convicted of prostitution only if the prostitute engages in or agrees or offers to engage in sexual intercourse with another person for compensation, whether the compensation is received or to be received or paid or to be paid. A prostitute who is convicted of prostitution may be fined an amount not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both.

(b) A patron may be convicted of patronizing a prostitute if the patron engages in or agrees or offers to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual contact that is direct and not through clothing with another person for compensation, whether the compensation is received or to be received or paid or to be paid. Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4), a patron who is convicted of prostitution shall for the first offense be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 1 year, or both, and for a second or subsequent offense shall be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 5 years, or both.

(3) (a) If the person patronized was a child and the patron was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense, whether or not the patron was aware of the child’s age, the patron offender:

(i) shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for a term of 100 years. The court may not suspend execution or defer imposition of the first 25 years of a sentence of imprisonment imposed under this subsection (3)(a)(i) except as provided in 46-18-222, and during the first 25 years of imprisonment, the offender is not eligible for parole.

(ii) may be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000; and

(iii) shall be ordered to enroll in and successfully complete the educational phase and the cognitive and behavioral phase of a sexual offender treatment program provided or approved by the department of corrections.

(b) If the offender is released after the mandatory minimum period of imprisonment, the offender is subject to supervision by the department of corrections for the remainder of the offender’s life and shall participate in the program for continuous, satellite-based monitoring provided for in 46-23-1010.

(4) If the person patronized was a victim of human trafficking, as defined in 45-5-701, or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, either of which caused the person to be in the situation where the offense occurred, and the patron offender was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense and knew or reasonably should have known that the person patronized was a victim of human trafficking or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, the patron offender:

(a) shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for a term of up to 10 years; and

(b) may be fined an amount not to exceed $25,000.

(5) It is not a violation of 45-5-602, 45-5-603, or this section for a person with an impaired physical ability, physical dysfunction, recent injury, or other disability to engage in sex therapy with a partner surrogate who is working under the supervision of a social worker, professional counselor, or licensed clinical professional counselor licensed under Title 37, chapter 22 or 23.

H2 – Promoting prostitution – 45-5-602.

(1) A person commits the offense of promoting prostitution if the person purposely or knowingly commits any of the following acts:

(a) owns, controls, manages, supervises, resides in, or otherwise keeps, alone or in association with others, a house of prostitution or a prostitution business;

(b) procures an individual for a house of prostitution or a place in a house of prostitution for an individual;

(d) solicits clients for another person who is a prostitute;

(e) procures a prostitute for a patron;

(f) transports an individual into or within this state with the purpose to promote that individual’s engaging in prostitution or procures or pays for transportation with that purpose;

(g) leases or otherwise permits a place controlled by the offender, alone or in association with others, to be regularly used for prostitution or for the procurement of prostitution or fails to make reasonable effort to abate that use by ejecting the tenant, notifying law enforcement authorities, or using other legally available means; or

(h) lives in whole or in part upon the earnings of an individual engaging in prostitution, unless the person is the prostitute’s minor child or other legal dependent incapable of self-support.

(2) Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4), a person convicted of promoting prostitution shall be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000 or be imprisoned in a state prison for a term not to exceed 10 years, or both.

(3) (a) If the person engaging in prostitution was a child and the offender was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense, whether or not the offender was aware of the child’s age, the offender:

(ii) may be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000; and

(4) If the person engaging in prostitution was a victim of human trafficking, as defined in 45-5-701, or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, either of which caused the person to be in the situation where the offense occurred, and the offender was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense and knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a victim of human trafficking or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, the offender:

(a) shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for a term of not more than 20 years; and

(b) may be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000.

H2 – Aggravated promotion of prostitution – 45-5-603.

(1) A person commits the offense of aggravated promotion of prostitution if the person purposely or knowingly commits any of the following acts:

(a) compels another to engage in or promote prostitution;

(b) promotes prostitution of a child, whether or not the person is aware of the child’s age;

(c) promotes the prostitution of one’s spouse, child, ward, or any person for whose care, protection, or support the person is responsible.

(2) (a) Except as provided in subsections (2)(b) and (2)(c), a person convicted of aggravated promotion of prostitution shall be punished by:

(i) life imprisonment; or

(ii) imprisonment in a state prison for a term not to exceed 20 years or a fine in an amount not to exceed $50,000, or both.

(b) (i) Except as provided in 46-18-219 and 46-18-222, if the person engaging in prostitution was a child and the offender was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense, the offender:

(A) shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for a term of 100 years. The court may not suspend execution or defer imposition of the first 25 years of a sentence of imprisonment imposed under this subsection (2)(b)(i)(A) except as provided in 46-18-222, and during the first 25 years of imprisonment, the offender is not eligible for parole.

(B) may be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000; and

(C) shall be ordered to enroll in and successfully complete the educational phase and the cognitive and behavioral phase of a sexual offender treatment program provided or approved by the department of corrections.

(ii) If the offender is released after the mandatory minimum period of imprisonment, the offender is subject to supervision by the department of corrections for the remainder of the offender’s life and shall participate in the program for continuous, satellite-based monitoring provided for in 46-23-1010.

(c) If the person engaging in prostitution was a victim of human trafficking, as defined in 45-5-701, or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, either of which caused the person to be in the situation where the offense occurred, and the offender was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense and knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a victim of human trafficking or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, the offender:

(i) shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for a term of not more than 30 years;

(ii) may be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000; and