Las Vegas Criminal Defense Blog

Yesterday, a Clark County District Court judge sentenced a felon who's been convicted 11 times to life without parole for robbing and battering Javon Walker, a former NFL player. Meanwhile, he's also facing charges for child abuse, statutory sexual seduction, kidnapping and breaking Nevada pandering law in another case. His attorney says they will appeal the decision to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Nevada pandering law makes it a crime to encourage or force another person to be a prostitute. Pandering is often called "pimping." People may still be convicted of pandering even if they did not use physical violence and even if no sex acts took place . . . merely arranging for the solicitation of prostitution falls under the definition of pandering in Nevada.
The penalties for violating Nevada pandering law vary depending on the circumstances. A typical prison sentence for pandering an adult is 1 to 5 years. But pandering a child carries 2 to 20 years in prison.

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Last week U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson sentenced Quinton Williams to seventeen years in prison for trafficking sex workers into Las Vegas. Back in March, a jury convicted him of transporting a female for prostitution, transporting a minor for prostitution, sex trafficking of children, interstate travel in aid of racketeering and money laundering. Williams was the first defendant that Nevada prosecuted under the federal Sex Trafficking of Children statute.

Williams was actually convicted of these sex crimes back in 2003, but the 9th Circuit ordered a new trial. He received a lengthier prison sentenced for the second trial because of his criminal history: He had three felony convictions in Illinois for controlled substance crimes and attempted robbery.

On the state level, Nevada pandering law prohibits the compelling of another person to engage in prostitution. Common names for the people who break Nevada pandering law are “pimps” and “madams.” But “johns,” the customers of prostitutes, are not considered panderers. The penalties for breaking Nevada pandering law are harsh, carrying felony sentences of several years imprisonment and several thousands of dollars. If children are involved or the alleged panderer used force, punishments are increased even more.