Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 17-A
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 851 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026
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As used in this chapter:   [PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW).]
1.  "Prostitution" means engaging in, or agreeing to engage in, or offering to engage in a sexual act or sexual contact, as those terms are defined in section 251, in return for a pecuniary benefit to be received by the person being prostituted or a 3rd person;  
[PL 2023, c. 316, §4 (AMD).]
1-A.  "Engages a person for prostitution" means providing, offering to provide or agreeing to provide, either to the person who is sought for an act of prostitution or to a 3rd person, pecuniary benefit in return for a sexual act or sexual contact as those terms are defined in section 251;  
[PL 2023, c. 316, §5 (AMD).]
2.  "Promotes prostitution" means:  
A. Causing or aiding another to commit or engage in prostitution, other than as a patron;   [PL 1995, c. 638, §3 (AMD).]
B. Publicly soliciting patrons for prostitution. Publicly soliciting patrons for prostitution includes, but is not limited to, an offer, made in a public place, to engage in a sexual act or sexual contact, as those terms are defined in section 251, in return for a pecuniary benefit to be received by the person making the offer or a 3rd person;   [PL 1995, c. 638, §3 (AMD).]
C. Providing persons for purposes of prostitution;   [PL 1995, c. 638, §3 (AMD).]
D. Leasing or otherwise permitting a place controlled by the defendant, alone or in association with others, to be regularly used for prostitution;   [PL 1995, c. 638, §3 (AMD).]
E. Owning, controlling, managing, supervising or otherwise operating, in association with others, a house of prostitution or a prostitution business;   [PL 1995, c. 638, §3 (AMD).]
F. Transporting a person into or within the State with the intent that such other person engage in prostitution; or   [PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW).]
G. Accepting or receiving, or agreeing to accept or receive, a pecuniary benefit pursuant to an agreement or understanding with any person, other than with a patron, whereby the person participates or the person is to participate in the proceeds of prostitution.   [PL 1995, c. 638, §3 (AMD).]
[PL 1995, c. 638, §3 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW). PL 1977, c. 671, §§25-A (AMD). PL 1981, c. 611, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 401, §§B3-5 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 638, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 316, §§4, 5 (AMD).
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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1978–1986 · leading case: State v. Huntley, 473 A.2d 859 (Me. 1984).
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State v. Sampson, 387 A.2d 213 (Me. 1978). · cites it 2× “The offense here charged can be committed even though there have been no acts of prostitution since, under 17-A M.R.S.A. § 851(2)(G) a person “promotes prostitution” by “agreeing to accept .”
State v. Huntley, 473 A.2d 859 (Me. 1984). · cites it 2× “); 17-A M.R.S.A. § 851 (defining "prostitution," "engages a prostitute," "promotes prostitution," etc.”
State v. Stevens, 510 A.2d 1070 (Me. 1986). “…of the same definition with regards to prostitution, an offense traditionally associated with female offenders. See 17-A M.R.S.A. § 851 (1983).”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 851(2)(G) — 1 case
State v. Sampson, 387 A.2d 213 (Me. 1978). “The offense here charged can be committed even though there have been no acts of prostitution since, under 17-A M.R.S.A. § 851(2)(G) a person “promotes prostitution” by “agreeing to accept .”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.