MT Code § 45-5-601 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 45. Crimes|Chapter 5. Offenses Against the Person|Part 6. Offenses Against the Family|45-5-601. Prostitution -- patronizing prostitute -- exception

  45-5-601. Prostitution -- patronizing prostitute -- exception. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2)(a), the offense of prostitution is committed if a person engages in or agrees or offers to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual contact that is direct and not through clothing with another person for compensation, whether the compensation is received or to be received or paid or to be paid.   (2) (a) A prostitute may be convicted of prostitution only if the prostitute engages in or agrees or offers to engage in sexual intercourse with another person for compensation, whether the compensation is received or to be received or paid or to be paid. A prostitute who is convicted of prostitution may be fined an amount not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both.   (b) A patron may be convicted of patronizing a prostitute if the patron engages in or agrees or offers to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual contact that is direct and not through clothing with another person for compensation, whether the compensation is received or to be received or paid or to be paid. Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4), a patron who is convicted of prostitution shall for the first offense be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 1 year, or both, and for a second or subsequent offense shall be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 5 years, or both.   (3) (a) If the person patronized was a child and the patron was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense, whether or not the patron was aware of the child's age, the patron offender:   (i) shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for a term of 100 years. The court may not suspend execution or defer imposition of the first 25 years of a sentence of imprisonment imposed under this subsection (3)(a)(i) except as provided in 46-18-222, and during the first 25 years of imprisonment, the offender is not eligible for parole.   (ii) may be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000; and   (iii) shall be ordered to enroll in and successfully complete the educational phase and the cognitive and behavioral phase of a sexual offender treatment program provided or approved by the department of corrections.   (b) If the offender is released after the mandatory minimum period of imprisonment, the offender is subject to supervision by the department of corrections for the remainder of the offender's life and shall participate in the program for continuous, satellite-based monitoring provided for in 46-23-1010.   (4) If the person patronized was a victim of human trafficking, as defined in 45-5-701, or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, either of which caused the person to be in the situation where the offense occurred, and the patron offender was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense and knew or reasonably should have known that the person patronized was a victim of human trafficking or was subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, the patron offender:   (a) shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for a term of up to 10 years; and   (b) may be fined an amount not to exceed $25,000.   (5) It is not a violation of 45-5-602, 45-5-603, or this section for a person with an impaired physical ability, physical dysfunction, recent injury, or other disability to engage in sex therapy with a partner surrogate who is working under the supervision of a social worker, professional counselor, or licensed clinical professional counselor licensed under Title 37, chapter 22 or 23.   History: En. 94-5-602 by Sec. 1, Ch. 513, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 80, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 94-5-602; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 312, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 483, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 374, L. 2013; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 308, L. 2019.