A BOOK ON U.S. APPLICABLE LAW
Deacon San Nguyen
UNINTENTIONAL PROSTITUTION
Vietnamese people have a saying: “Gambling is the uncle of a homeless man.”
Many gamblers sell everything they possessed for gambling. Sometimes, they even sell themselves for gambling.
This is a story of a woman who became a prostitute unintentionally.
Mary was divorced by her husband because she had gambling addiction. Very often, she left her children at home alone and hungry. Her children always lacked of motherhood.
Nonetheless, a judge gave her, not her husband, power to raise her children. Her husband had responsibility of child support until they grew up, and alimony for his wife for 3 years. Taking advantage on this judgment, every week, she came to a casino to play. From the beginning, she played small games then gradually she played bigger and bigger. Once, she won around $50.000.00. That victory made her fascinate in gambling more and more. However, she never realized that casino would take back everything she won very fast. Bit by bit, it took all her saving cash at home. One day, after a big loss, Mary walked out of the casino wondering how and when she could have some money to buy gift for her daughter’s birthday ceremony that was coming near. Right at that time, Robert, an American gentleman, walked to her, smiling. Robert was a rich gambler who often sat near Mary at a Black Jack table. Seeing her broke, Robert proposed to lend Mary a sum of money but with a condition: she had to exchange sex with him. While worrying so much about finding some money, Mary thought that propose was a miracle that helped her solve her big problem. Having no second thought, Mary accepted that proposal and went with Robert to a motel near by to prostitute herself for gambling money.
Time by time, Mary got used with selling herself for Robert, at first, for money then later, for nothing at all. She fell in love with Robert and his talent in sex acts. Both Mary and Robert thought that they were the happiest couple in the world. They really did not matter about the consequences that followed. One day, Robert’s wife and a private investigator jumped into the scene and caught the couple totally nude in a motel room. Robert’s wife brought the case to Court where a judge gave two judgments on Robert: committing adultery and buying sex illegally. Mary received a fine as all others who prostituted for money. The judgment would stick at her personal file forever.
Most of state laws prohibited prostitution. Prostitutes had to be in jail and pay some penalty, if any. State of Nevada and Rhode Island did not prohibit prostitution. Nevada allowed prostitution to be at remote areas far from big cities where people were crowded. In Rhode Island, the act of sex for money is not illegal, but street solicitation and operation of a brothel are.
Oklahoma Law, article 21, number 1030, explained the crime of prostitution as followed:
- Exchanging sex for money between a couple that are not husband and wife.
- Organizing a sex exchange for money or some valuable things between a couple that are not husband and wife.
- Sex exchange with a teenager. Touching sex parts to motivating sex desires of a teenager with the purpose to gain money or some valuable things.
Sentences for such act of prostitution:
- For first offense: $2,500.00 fine and/or might be detained from 30 days to one year.
- For the second offense: $5,000.00 and/or might be detained.
- For the third offense: $7,500.00 and/or might be detained.
- Working at some public/community center from 40 to 80 hours. Court will decide about publicized the names of defendants to County Health Department.
- If the defendant had HIV positive, he or she will be charged at criminal court and will be in jail for 5 years.
- If doing sex with a teenager, defendant will be charged at criminal court and will be in jail for 10 years. Plus: $5,000.00 for first offense, $10,000.00 for second offense. $15,000.00 for third offense and so on…
- If the crime was committed 1000 feet away from school or church, the defendant will be charged at criminal court. Plus $2,500.00 for first offense, and $7.500.00 for second offense.
There was another story related with gambling and its consequences: Gambling destroyed a happy family.
Several years ago, Mr. Hai had a beautiful wife and four children. They lived happily with each other. Hai had a good job that helped him to enjoy himself by playing games in casino every week with a strict rule set by himself: Never be lost over $100.00 and never try to win over $50.00. Hai kept that rule for a while and feel happy with it. Things in life were unexpected. One day, Hai made friend with Thu, a lonely girl, 15 years younger than him, and 10 years younger than Hai’s wife. Indeed, Thu was divorced by her husband when he could not stop her from gambling. Thu was not as pretty as Hai’s wife but more sexy and attractive. Looking at Thu walking softly, Hai felt that he fascinated about Thu’s figures. He fell in love with her. While living lonely, Thu accepted Hai’s love without hesitation. They both sharing their secret love until Thu gave birth to a boy.
Hai had to take all responsibility for the child by paying hospital bill, buying food and stuff for him and everything. That secret affair did not last long. Hai’s wife found out about that out-of-wedlock child when she searched into a pocket of Hai’s pants. A couple of bills that were for the child were in there. Hai’s wife angrily questioned Hai about the affair. Having no choice, Hai admitted his fault and begged his wife to forgive him. Nonetheless, his wife went to a lawyer and processed a divorce.
Four years later, I met Hai and knew that his wife married the lawyer who processed divorce paperwork. Hai, himself, still lived alone. He did not marry Thu, just supported the child as the law decided. Hai felt scared with women in gambling. It was too late for him to remorse what he had done wrong.
