How Solicitation Is Charged in Wyoming
Under Wyoming law, solicitation of prostitution includes paying or agreeing to pay for sex. Solicitation of a minor, which is trying to set up sexual contact with someone thought to be under 16, has much harsher penalties and is often charged with federal crimes when it happens over the internet. State and federal law enforcement task forces work together to plan undercover operations that target people who try to solicit minors. These operations often lead to both state and federal prosecution at the same time.
Online Solicitation and Federal Charges
When a minor is solicited through electronic communication like text, email, social media, or dating apps, federal charges under 18 U.S.C. § 2422 (enticement of a minor) are almost always added to state charges. If you entice a minor in a federal case, you have to spend at least ten years in federal prison. Lawyers who have worked in both state and federal courts are needed for these cases.
Defense Strategies for Solicitation Charges
Solicitation defenses look at what the recorded communication really shows: Was there a clear agreement to pay for sex? Did the defendant really try to get a minor to do something, or did the police make a situation that wouldn’t have happened otherwise? Was the defendant already likely to commit the crime, or was this a case of being persuaded to do so? We carefully look at every recorded communication.
Penalty Grid
| Solicitation of Adult | Solicitation of Minor | Federal Enticement | Recording-based |
| Misdemeanor typically | Felony | 10-year mandatory min | Evidence is the record |
Related Charges We Also Defend
Why Clients in Wyoming and South Dakota Choose Just Criminal Law
Our attorneys spent years working for the state before switching sides. We know exactly how prosecutors build cases and exactly where to find the holes.
We do not split our focus between practice areas. Every attorney, every resource, every minute is focused on one thing: your criminal defense.
We know the courts, the judges, and the prosecutors across Wyoming and western South Dakota. Local familiarity shapes strategy and strategy shapes outcomes.
Servicios de traduccion en espanol disponibles. Every client fully understands their case, their options, and their rights.
Real Results for Wyoming & South Dakota Clients
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OtherSuppression Appeal — Wyoming Supreme CourtDistrict Court denied motion to suppress. Wyoming Supreme Court accepted certiorari on appeal.
Barney v. State of Wyoming — Wyoming Supreme Court
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CASE DISMISSEDReckless Endangering / Domestic Battery / Child Endangering — Wyoming
Client charged with reckless endangering, domestic battery, and child endangering. All charges dismissed.
State v. Quezada-Lopez — Wyoming Circuit Court
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CASE DISMISSEDDUI / DWUI — Wyoming
Client charged with DUI. State unable to lay foundation for the breath test. Case dismissed.
State v. Von Olnhausen — Wyoming Circuit Court
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CASE DISMISSEDFelony Child Abuse — Wyoming
Client charged with accessory after the fact and aggravated child abuse — a felony. State unable to meet its burden of proof at preliminary hearing. Felony count dismissed.
State v. Bullinger — Wyoming District Court
Charged with a crime in Wyoming? Time is critical.
The sooner you have an attorney, the more options you have.
What Clients Say About Just Criminal Law
Frequently asked questions about solicitation charges in Wyoming
Wyoming Criminal Defense — Communities We Serve
We are based in Gillette, Wyoming, and serve clients across the state and into western South Dakota. Our team knows the local courts, prosecutors, and judges in every community we serve — and that local knowledge makes a real difference in criminal defense.
- Deadwood
- Sturgis (Rally)
- Custer County
- Lawrence County
- Meade County
- Pennington County
We provide on-call criminal defense for Rally-related arrests including DUI, drug charges, weapons offenses, and assault. Call us 24/7 during Rally week.
