A. No person shall:

1. By promise, threats, violence, or by any device or scheme, including but not limited to the use of any controlled dangerous substance prohibited pursuant to the provisions of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act, cause, induce, persuade, or encourage a child under eighteen (18) years of age to engage or continue to engage in prostitution or to become or remain an inmate of a house of prostitution or other place where prostitution is practiced;

2. Keep, hold, detain, restrain, or compel against his will, any child under eighteen (18) years of age to engage in the practice of prostitution or in a house of prostitution or other place where prostitution is practiced or allowed;

3. Directly or indirectly keep, hold, detain, restrain, or compel or attempt to keep, hold, detain, restrain, or compel a child under eighteen (18) years of age to engage in the practice of prostitution or in a house of prostitution or any place where prostitution is practiced or allowed for the purpose of compelling such child to directly or indirectly pay, liquidate, or cancel any debt, dues, or obligations incurred, or said to have been incurred by such child.

B. 1. Any person violating the provisions of this section, other than paragraph 2 of this subsection, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than one (1) year nor more than twenty-five (25) years, and by a fine of not less than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) nor more than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).

2. Any owner, proprietor, keeper, manager, conductor, or other person who knowingly permits a violation of this section in any house, building, room, tent, lot or premises under his control or of which he has possession, upon conviction for the first offense, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not less than six (6) months nor more than one (1) year, and by a fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00). Upon conviction for a subsequent offense pursuant to the provisions of this subsection such person shall be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than one (1) year nor more than ten (10) years, and by a fine of not less than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) nor more than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).

Historical Data

Laws 1985, HB 1261, c. 55, § 2, eff. November 1, 1985; Amended by Laws 1997, HB 1213, c. 133, § 290 (effective date amended to July 1, 1999, by Laws 1998, 1st Extr. Sess., c. 2, §§ 23-26, emerg. eff. June 19, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1999, 1st Extr. Sess., HB 1009, c. 5, § 192, emerg. eff. July 1, 1999 (superseded document available ).