Maine statute
17-A M.R.S. § 853 — Sex Trafficking
Current through First Special Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature (current through October 1, 2025)
Part of Chapter 35: Sex Trafficking, Prostitution and Public Indecency, Maine Revised Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of 17-A M.R.S. § 853
Statutory text current through the First Special Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature (current through October 1, 2025). This publication reproduces the statutory text of the Maine Revised Statutes from the Revisor of Statutes' official published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Maine and has not been certified by the Secretary of State.
1. A person is guilty of sex trafficking if:
A. The person knowingly promotes prostitution. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime; or
B. The person violates paragraph A and has 2 or more prior convictions in this State for any combination of the Maine offenses listed in this paragraph or for engaging in substantially similar conduct to that of the Maine offenses listed in this paragraph in another jurisdiction. The Maine offenses are any violation of this section or section 852, 853-B or 855 or attempts to commit any of these crimes. Section 9-A governs the use of prior convictions when determining a sentence. Violation of this paragraph is a Class C crime.
2.
3. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the person engaged in sex trafficking because the person was compelled to do so as described in section 852, subsection 2.
4. It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the act alleged to constitute sex trafficking consisted of the person publicly soliciting a patron to engage in prostitution only with the person.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.