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18 U.S.C. § 250 — Penalties for civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Offense.—** It shall be unlawful for any person to, in the course of committing an offense under this chapter or under section 901 of the Fair Housing Act ([42 U.S.C. 3631](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section3631&num=0&edition=prelim)), engage in, or cause another to engage in, sexual misconduct.
**(b) Penalties.—** Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be—
(1) in the case of an offense involving aggravated sexual abuse, as defined in section 2241, or if the offense involved sexual abuse, as defined in section 2242, or if the offense involved an attempt to commit such aggravated sexual abuse or sexual abuse, fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life;
(2) in the case of an offense involving abusive sexual contact of a child who has not attained the age of 16, of the type prohibited by section 2244(a)(5), fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life;
(3) in the case of an offense involving a sexual act, as defined in section 2246, with another person without the other person’s permission, and it does not amount to sexual abuse or aggravated sexual abuse, be fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 40 years;
(4) in the case of an offense involving abusive sexual contact of the type prohibited by subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 2244, but excluding abusive sexual contact through the clothing—
(A) fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 10 years; and
(B) if the offense involves a child who has not attained the age of 12 years, imprisoned for not more than 30 years;
(5) in the case of an offense involving abusive sexual contact of the type prohibited by section 2244(a)(2)—
(A) fined under this title and imprisoned for
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Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-18/section-250-penalties-for-civil-rights-offenses-involving-sexual-misconduct--a6a6d809ec.md
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Source location: Title 18, Chapter 13, § 250; chapter-013-civil-rights.md
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**(a) Offense.—** It shall be unlawful for any person to, in the course of committing an offense under this chapter or under section 901 of the Fair Housing Act ([42 U.S.C. 3631](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section3631&num=0&edition=prelim)), engage in, or cause another to engage in, sexual misconduct.
**(b) Penalties.—** Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be—
(1) in the case of an offense involving aggravated sexual abuse, as defined in section 2241, or if the offense involved sexual abuse, as defined in section 2242, or if the offense involved an attempt to commit such aggravated sexual abuse or sexual abuse, fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life;
(2) in the case of an offense involving abusive sexual contact of a child who has not attained the age of 16, of the type prohibited by section 2244(a)(5), fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life;
(3) in the case of an offense involving a sexual act, as defined in section 2246, with another person without the other person’s permission, and it does not amount to sexual abuse or aggravated sexual abuse, be fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 40 years;
(4) in the case of an offense involving abusive sexual contact of the type prohibited by subsection (a)(1) or (b) of section 2244, but excluding abusive sexual contact through the clothing—
(A) fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 10 years; and
(B) if the offense involves a child who has not attained the age of 12 years, imprisoned for not more than 30 years;
(5) in the case of an offense involving abusive sexual contact of the type prohibited by section 2244(a)(2)—
(A) fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 3 years; and
(B) if the offense involves a child under the age of 12, imprisoned for not more than 20 years; and
(6) in the case of an offense involving abusive sexual contact through the clothing of the type prohibited by subsection (a)(3), (a)(4), or (b) of section 2244—
(A) fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 2 years; and
(B) if the offense involves a child under the age of 12, imprisoned for not more than 10 years.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a) Definitions** In this section:
(1) **Commercial pornographic content** — The term “commercial pornographic content” means any material that is subject to the record keeping requirements under [section 2257 of title 18](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2257&num=0&edition=prelim).
(2) **Consent** — The term “consent” means an affirmative, conscious, and voluntary authorization made by the individual free from force, fraud, misrepresentation, or coercion.
(3) **Depicted individual** — The term “depicted individual” means an individual whose body appears in whole or in part in an intimate visual depiction and who is identifiable by virtue of the person’s face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic, such as a unique birthmark or other recognizable feature, or from information displayed in connection with the visual depiction.
(4) **Disclose** — The term “disclose” means to transfer, publish, distribute, or make accessible.
(5) **Intimate visual depiction** — The term “intimate visual depiction”—
(A) means a visual depiction, as that term is defined in [section 2256(5) of title 18](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section2256/5&num=0&edition=prelim), that depicts—
(i) the uncovered genitals, pubic area, anus, or post-pubescent female nipple of an identifiable individual; or
(ii) the display or transfer of bodily sexual fluids—
(I) on to any part of the body of an identifiable individual;
(II) from the body of an identifiable individual; or
(III) an identifiable individual engaging in sexually explicit conduct and 11 So in original.
(B) includes any visual depictions described in subparagraph (A) produced while the identifiable individual wa
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, by force or threat of force willfully injures, intimidates or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with—
**(a)** any person because of his race, color, religion, sex, handicap (as such term is defined in [section 3602 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section3602&num=0&edition=prelim)), familial status (as such term is defined in [section 3602 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section3602&num=0&edition=prelim)), or national origin and because he is or has been selling, purchasing, renting, financing, occupying, or contracting or negotiating for the sale, purchase, rental, financing or occupation of any dwelling, or applying for or participating in any service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings; or
**(b)** any person because he is or has been, or in order to intimidate such person or any other person or any class of persons from—
(1) participating, without discrimination on account of race, color, religion, sex, handicap (as such term is defined in [section 3602 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section3602&num=0&edition=prelim)), familial status (as such term is defined in [section 3602 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section3602&num=0&edition=prelim)), or national origin, in any of the activities, services, organizations or facilities described in subsection (a); or
(2) affording another person or class of persons opportunity or protection so to participate; or
**(c)** any citizen because he is or has been, or in order to discourage such cit
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
### Statutory Notes
Section, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 684; Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–596, § 8, 98 Stat. 3138, classified offenses as a felony, misdemeanor, or petty offense.
#### Effective Date of Repeal
Repeal of section effective Nov. 1, 1987, and applicable only to offenses committed after the taking effect of such repeal, see section 235(a)(1) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as an Effective Date note under [section 3551 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section3551&num=0&edition=prelim).
#### Short Title of 2026 Amendment
Pub. L. 119–73, § 1, Jan. 23, 2026, 139 Stat. 2003, provided that: “This Act [enacting sections 28 and 3771A of this title, amending [section 7102 of Title 22](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title22-section7102&num=0&edition=prelim), Foreign Relations and Intercourse, and enacting provisions set out as notes under [section 28 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section28&num=0&edition=prelim) and [section 10110 of Title 34](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title34-section10110&num=0&edition=prelim), Crime Control and Law Enforcement] may be cited as the ‘Trafficking Survivors Relief Act’.”
#### Short Title of 2024 Amendment
Pub. L. 118–78, § 1, July 30, 2024, 138 Stat. 1512, provided that: “This Act [enacting [section 1352 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1352&num=0&edition=prelim) and amending [section 201 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section201&num=0&edition=prelim)] may be cited as the ‘Foreign Extortion Prevention Technical Corrections Act’.”
Pub. L. 118–77, § 1, July
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 100
TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
§ 250
UNITED STATES.—Whoever, within the special
maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the
United States, engages in conduct described in
paragraph (1) or in paragraph (2)(A) (without
regard to whether that conduct occurred in a
circumstance described in paragraph (2)(B))
shall be subject to the same penalties as pre-
scribed in those paragraphs.
(4) GUIDELINES.—All prosecutions conducted
by the United States under this section shall
be undertaken pursuant to guidelines issued
by the Attorney General, or the designee of
the Attorney General, to be included in the
United States Attorneys’ Manual that shall
establish neutral and objective criteria for de-
termining whether a crime was committed be-
cause of the actual or perceived status of any
person.
(5) LYNCHING.—Whoever conspires to commit
any offense under paragraph (1), (2), or (3)
shall, if death or serious bodily injury (as de-
fined in section 2246 of this title) results from
the offense, be imprisoned for not more than
30 years, fined in accordance with this title, or
both.
(6) OTHER CONSPIRACIES.—Whoever conspires
to commit any offense under paragraph (1), (2),
or (3) shall, if death or serious bodily injury
(as defined in section 2246 of this title) results
from the offense, or if the offense includes kid-
napping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated
sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggra-
vated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, be
imprisoned for not more than 30 years, fined in
accordance with this title, or both.
(b) CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—No prosecution of any of-
fense described in this subsection may be un-
dertaken by the United States, except under
the certification in writing of the Attorney
Gener
Source: Supplied 2024 U.S. Code historical extraction · 18 U.S.C. § 250
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 5970
TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
§ 3618
or protected by section 3603, 3604, 3605, or 3606 of
this title.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title VIII, § 818, formerly § 817,
Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 89; renumbered § 818 and
amended Pub. L. 100–430, §§ 8(1), 10, Sept. 13, 1988,
102 Stat. 1625, 1635.)
Editorial Notes
PRIOR PROVISIONS
A prior section 818 of Pub. L. 90–284 was renumbered
section 819 and is classified to section 3618 of this title.
AMENDMENTS
1988—Pub. L. 100–430 struck out at end ‘‘This section
may be enforced by appropriate civil action.’’
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1988 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 100–430 effective on the 180th
day beginning after Sept. 13, 1988, see section 13(a) of
Pub. L. 100–430, set out as a note under section 3601 of
this title.
§ 3618. Authorization of appropriations
There are hereby authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as are necessary to carry out
the purposes of this subchapter.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title VIII, § 819, formerly § 818,
Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 89; renumbered § 819, Pub.
L. 100–430, § 8(1), Sept. 13, 1988, 102 Stat. 1625.)
Editorial Notes
PRIOR PROVISIONS
A prior section 819 of Pub. L. 90–284 was renumbered
section 820 and is classified to section 3619 of this title.
§ 3619. Separability
If any provision of this subchapter or the ap-
plication thereof to any person or circumstances
is held invalid, the remainder of the subchapter
and the application of the provision to other
persons not similarly situated or to other cir-
cumstances shall not be affected thereby.
(Pub. L. 90–284, title VIII, § 820, formerly § 819,
Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 89; renumbered § 820, Pub.
L. 100–430, § 8(1), Sept. 13, 1988, 102 Stat. 1625.)
SUBCHAPTER II—PREVENTION OF
INTIM
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