(a) A person commits an offense if he or she loiters in a public place in a manner and under circumstances manifesting the purpose of inducing, enticing, soliciting or procuring another to commit an act of prostitution. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such purpose is manifested is that such person is a known prostitute or panderer, repeatedly beckons to, stops or attempts to stop motor vehicle operators by hailing, waving of arms or any other bodily gesture. No arrest shall be made for a violation of this subsection (a) unless the arresting officer first affords such person an opportunity to explain such conduct, and no one shall be convicted of violating this section if it appears at trial that the explanation given was true and disclosed a lawful purpose.
(b) For the purpose of this section, a
KNOWN PROSTITUTE OR PANDERER is a person who, within one year previous to the date of arrest for violation of this section, has, within the knowledge of the arresting officer, been convicted of prostitution, promotion of prostitution, aggravated promotion of prostitution or compelling prostitution. The definition of prostitution in the State Penal Code shall apply to this section.
(c) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by a fine not to exceed $500.
(1964 Code, § 25-51) (Ord. 7657, § 1, passed 11-8-1977; Ord. 10389, § 1, passed 9-19-1989)