Fort Collins Patronizing a Prostitute & Soliciting for Prostitution
What is the Legal Difference in Larimer County?

Fort Collins Police are famous for their prostitution stings.  While these stings used to occur on street corners with undercover female officers, now most stings are handled over the internet. Officers communicate online with men willing to pay for a hookup, set up a time and place to meet, and the men are met with handcuffs. Two criminal charges commonly result from these stings: Patronizing a Prostitute and Soliciting for Prostitution. Let’s take a closer look at these two crimes.

Larimer County and Fort Collins Patronizing a Prostitute Attorney

Colorado’s definition of Patronizing a Prostitute is located at C.R.S. 18-7-205:

Any person who performs any of the following with a person not his spouse commits patronizing a prostitute:

(a) Engages in an act of sexual intercourse or of deviate sexual conduct with a prostitute; or

(b) Enters or remains in a place of prostitution with intent to engage in an act of sexual intercourse or deviate sexual conduct.

Soliciting for Prostitution in Fort Collins and Larimer County, Colorado

The Fort Collins and Larimer County legal definition of Soliciting for Prostitution is found at C.R.S. 18-7-202, and states:

A person commits soliciting for prostitution if he:

(a) Solicits another for the purpose of prostitution; or

(b) Arranges or offers to arrange a meeting of persons for the purpose of prostitution; or

(c) Directs another to a place knowing such direction is for the purpose of prostitution.

As you can see, Patronizing involves actual sexual contact with another, while Soliciting involves talking about the idea.  The level of severity is obvious.  Let’s look at the penalties next.

Larimer County Sentence for Patronizing a Prostitute

Since Patronizing a Prostitute is a petty offense in Fort Collins, Colorado, Patronizing is punishable by up to 10 days in the Larimer County Jail and up to $5,000 in fines.

Fort Collins, Colorado Possible Sentence for Soliciting a Prostitute

Soliciting a Prostitute is also a petty offense with the same potential sentence as the Patronizing charge.


Patronizing a Prostitute and Soliciting for Prostitution are sex related crimes which have a strong, negative social stigma.  The government often seeks to embarrass you or hint that they will do so, if you don’t take a plea of guilty.  Be careful.  And as always, be smart, exercise your to remain silent, and contact the best Prostitution lawyers at 970-658-0007. Together, we can protect your future.

Photo by Castorly Stock from Pexels