Alberta politician Allen offered plea deal in U.S. prostitution case: lawyer

EDMONTON – An Alberta politician who was on government business when he was charged following a police prostitution sting in Minnesota has been offered a plea deal.

Mike Allen’s lawyer, Dave Risk, says his client won’t even consider the offer until more details in the case are released at his next court hearing on Nov. 13.

Allen, 51, was charged in July with gross misdemeanour of solicitation of prostitution, which carries a maximum one-year sentence and $3,000 fine.

Risk says the prosecution has offered to reduce the charge to a simple misdemeanour in return for a guilty plea.

The charges were formally read into court in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday, but Allen had permission not to attend.

Allen, member of the legislature for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, resigned from the governing Progressive Conservative caucus soon after his arrest and now sits as an Independent.