Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 2241: Aggravated sexual abuse

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law criminalizes sexual abuse involving force, threats, incapacity, or victims under age 16. Penalties include 30 years to life imprisonment.

Read the full statutory text
by using force against that other person; or by threatening or placing that other person in fear that any person will be subjected to death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping; renders another person unconscious and thereby engages in a sexual act with that other person; or substantially impairs the ability of that other person to appraise or control conduct; and engages in a sexual act with that other person; Whoever crosses a State line with intent to engage in a sexual act with a person who has not attained the age of 12 years, or in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the head of any Federal department or agency, knowingly engages in a sexual act with another person who has not attained the age of 12 years, or knowingly engages in a sexual act under the circumstances described in subsections (a) and (b) with another person who has attained the age of 12 years but has not attained the age of 16 years (and is at least 4 years younger than the person so engaging), or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not less than 30 years or for life. If the defendant has previously been convicted of another Federal offense under this subsection, or of a State offense or an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice that would have been an offense under any such provision had the offense occurred in a Federal prison, unless the death penalty is imposed, the defendant shall be sentenced to life in prison. In a prosecution under subsection (c) of this section, the Government need not prove that the defendant knew that the other person engaging in the sexual act had not attained the age of 12 years.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.