An MSU student who was arrested in February on a misdemeanor soliciting prostitution charge has taken a plea agreement, according to court documents.
Criminal justice student Ezequiel Chapa , 21, was arrested on Feb. 11 after police received a tip he was soliciting a 55-year-old man from Ovid, Mich., for sex.
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said officers initially were dispatched to North Wonders Hall on Feb. 6 after being contacted by residence hall staff, who suspected solicitation-like activity. Chapa was arrested a few days later.
Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III confirmed that Chapa was the one seeking the prostitute in the situation.
Chapa took the plea agreement in 54-B District Court on March 20. A phone number listed in court documents as Chapa’s was disconnected.
Court documents reveal Chapa originally pleaded not guilty to the charges when he was arraigned in front of 54-B District Court Judge Richard Ball on Feb. 13.
Chapa is represented by ASMSU legal representative James Newton , who did not return multiple requests from The State News for comment.
The plea agreement has a conditional requirement of no upfront jail time.
After nearly 30 years with the department, East Lansing police Capt. Jeff Murphy said he has not noticed a problem with prostitution.
“I don’t recall ever seeing a prostitution charge,” he said. “It would be very unusual.”
Murphy said there have been cases where prostitutes from other towns have come to East Lansing and either have been robbed, assaulted or have committed crimes themselves, but he does not recall any soliciting charges.
MSU police said they were able to find Chapa after being notified by residence hall employees, but East Lansing police would probably have to handle the investigation differently.
“If we ever had any indication of prostitution in East Lansing, we would probably investigate it with undercover officers,” he said. “Unless you have prostitutes on the street corner, it’s hard to run across one.”
East Lansing City Attorney Thomas Yeadon said East Lansing has an ordinance against soliciting prostitution, but has not seen a case go through his office in the 30 years he has been in East Lansing.
“We have a soliciting ordinance under our code, but in all my years of being here, I’ve never seen anyone charged under that ordinance,” he said.
Chapa is scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. on April 21 in 54-B District Court.
