Vice Squad Disbanded
Earlier this year the Salt Lake City Police vice squad was disbanded. Come to find out one of the reasons the vice squad may have been disassembled was because the vice officers themselves were engaging in vice.
In a recent report by the Salt Lake City Civilian Review Board at least one officer kissed the breast and nipples of a prostitution suspect because his head had no where else to go. Sure… At least three other officers violated the “no touch policy” and several officers were disciplined with letters of reprimand and at least one sergeant was place on temporary suspension.
What Are Vice Crimes?
Vice crimes in Utah are typically acts involving sex, alcohol, gambling, and/or human trafficking which the Legislature has deemed criminal in nature. Prostitution, sexually oriented massage parlors, selling and distributing alcohol without a license, and other such related acts all fall under the vice category. Many vice crimes have no victim as the criminal acts are engaged in between consenting adults, but that does not stop vice squads from arresting individuals for acting on their impulses.
Vice crimes can be either misdemeanors or felonies. Offenses such as soliciting a prostitute or engaging in prostitution are typically class B misdemeanors for a first offense. In any event, they carry jail time and city and county prosecutors prosecutor such crimes with vigor because they believe it their duty to prevent people from doing “bad” things even if there is not victim.
What To Do If Charged With A Vice Crime
The criminal defense attorneys at our firm are experienced vice crime defenders. We’ve seen anything and everything that you can imagine and know how to best prepare a defense against sex-related crimes, gambling charges, alcohol related offenses and any other vice crime the state can conjure up against you. Call our attorneys anytime at 801.618.1334 for a free consultation and get us on board to protect your rights.
