Is Working as an Escort Legal in Texas?

 Posted on September 06,2024 in Sex Crimes

Technically, it is perfectly legal to work as an escort. An escort is a person who is paid for his or her time, not for sex. There are plenty of agencies operating escort services in Texas, and many of them are registered, tax-paying corporations. However, few of these agencies survive their first sting operation. The problem with escorting is that it is nearly always a cover for prostitution. It would be quite rare for a person to accept a job as an escort and not quickly find out that he or she is expected to have sex with the clients. No matter how the agreement is worded, being paid to have sex is a crime in Texas. If you have been arrested for prostitution or for promoting prostitution, you need an experienced Houston, TX sex crimes attorney to help you.

An Escort Who Has Sex With Clients is Considered a Prostitute 

Most escort services that purport to operate legally think that carefully wording the agreement between the escort and the client will protect them legally. These agencies insist that the escorts are being paid for their time, not to provide any specific service, and what the escort and client do during that time is their business. Texas courts see through this sham wording and recognize this type of escort service for what it is - prostitution in disguise.

If a paid escort has sex with his or her clients, the escort can be prosecuted for prostitution, and those running the escort service can be prosecuted for promoting prostitution. While people who run escort services usually try to argue that they had no idea their employees were providing illicit sexual services, this almost never works.

The only way to work legally as an escort is to avoid all sexual contact with clients. If a client wishes to pay an escort to be his plus one at a wedding, or a visiting businessman hires an escort to accompany him to a restaurant he did not want to go to alone, this would be perfectly legal provided the pair does not end the evening with a sexual encounter. However, this very rarely happens in real life. Sex is nearly always expected of escorts, and this arrangement is simply prostitution with extra steps.

Contact a Harris County, TX Prostitution Defense Lawyer 

Doug Murphy Law Firm, P.C. is highly experienced in defending people who have been accused of prostitution and related offenses. Dedicated Houston, TX prostitution crimes attorney Doug Murphy also serves as President of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. Contact us at 713-229-8333 for a complimentary consultation.