Bob Kraft, because when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. You can do anything.

[Miles Archer]

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is being offered a deal in which Florida prosecutors drop solicitation charges against him — but only if he admits that he would have been found guilty had his case been taken to court.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the deal, in addition to asking Kraft to admit he would have been found guilty, also requires “completion of an education course about prostitution, completion of 100 hours of community service, screening for sexually transmitted diseases and payment of some court costs.”

The Journal’s report describes the admittance of probable guilt as an “unusual” clause and it is not yet clear if Kraft will agree to it, especially after his attorneys have insisted that he engaged in no illegal activity when he went to a Florida day spa that’s been caught up in a human trafficking and prostitution investigation.

“Prosecutors alleged they saw Mr. Kraft, 77 years old, enter Orchids of Asia Day Spa, located in a small strip mall, on two occasions and saw him pay cash and receive sex acts,” notes the Journal. “He was identified in a traffic stop after his first visit on Jan. 19, when he was the passenger in a vehicle, and visited the spa again the next day, before the Patriots played the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.”

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/03/trump-loving-bob-kraft-offered-sweetheart-deal-avoid-facing-prostitution-charges-report/

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Sounds like a variation on an Alford plea.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Sure does.

Probation and a Campaign Contribution to the Judges Reelection .

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Except that in a regular Alford plea you plead guilty but without admitting guilt,

so you typically end up with a lighter sentence but you still have a judgment of conviction. This guy gets to admit he'd be convicted but he doesn't have to suffer any consequences if he keeps his nose (or other body part) clean. I guess it's a deferred prosecution agreement of some kind.

[Wellstone ruled]

8. Common Plea here in the Southwest

when it comes to the Wealthy or Connected. Usual is a fine and probation or Community Service,which know one follows up on.

[onenote]

11. More or less - standard procedure under Florida law

Under Florida law, the crime of First Offense Solicitation of Prostitution is a First Degree Misdemeanor punishable as follows:

Every person convicted of Solicitation of Prostitution must complete 100 hours of community service, attend a prostitution and human trafficking awareness course, undergo screening for sexually transmissible diseases, and pay a $5,000 civil fine.

Sounds like Kraft will have these mandatory penalties imposed on him.

In addition to these mandatory penalties, a judge has discretion to impose the following penalties on a first time offender:
•Up to one (1) year in jail.
•Up to one (1) year of probation.
•Up to $1,000 in criminal fines.

Typically, these additional penalties are reserved for cases that go to trial. If the defendant pleads guilty or enters in an Alford plea, sparing the need for a prosecution, the defendant only gets the mandatory punishment.

There are a lot of DUers, including the OP, offering opinions about this without having any knowledge whatsoever of the law and practice in this area.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. I think some of the reporting has been misleading, too.

If he does receive some mandatory penalty consistent with the law, that's fine with me; the way the matter was reported made it sound like he wasn't being punished at all.

[onenote]

14. Maybe. But the Associated Press story is pretty clear:

From the second paragraph of the AP story:

The Palm Beach State Attorney's Office confirmed Tuesday it has offered Kraft and 24 other men charged with soliciting prostitution the standard diversion program offered to first-time offenders. The men must concede they would be found guilty, perform 100 hours community service, attend a class on the dangers of prostitution and pay $5,000 per count, spokesman Mike Edmondon said. Kraft was charged with two counts last month.

Read more here: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article228132434.html#storylink=cpy

[bluestarone]

2. IF true total

BULLSHIT!! MONEY TALKS!!!

[RockaFowler]

3. This is standard

Link to tweet

Correction: The offer of a deferred prosecution agreement with several conditions to first time offenders is standard in cases like this.

Our State's Attorney, Dave Aronberg, is doing this the right way.

[onenote]

12. +1

[Leghorn21]

4. New York Post:

[Papyro]

6. A regular John Doe would be in jail

But the wealthy get away with anything.

[onenote]

9. His penalty is what the law specifies

It is optional, but unusual, for someone charged with solicitation as a first time offender to get jail time. Even less so when they enter a guilty plea or an Alford plea.

Alford pleas are not as unusual as some posting here think, and they are not limited to the high and mighty. For example, an Alford plea can and is used by a defendant to avoid the death penalty in a first degree murder case.

[RockaFowler]

10. All 25 Men arrested in Palm Beach County were offered this

Link to tweet

[Ilsa]

15. Everyone should start calling him "John," to fuck with him. nt