§2244 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

It makes it a federal crime to knowingly touch someone in a sexual way or force someone to touch you in a sexual way in certain federal places — like U.S. waters or territory, federal prisons, or facilities where people are held under federal custody or federal contracts. If that sexual touching would count as a more serious federal sex crime if it had been a sexual act, the law gives different maximum punishments depending on how serious the related crime is: up to 10 years, up to 3 years, up to 2 years, or, in the most serious case, any number of years or life in prison. Separately, knowingly touching someone sexually without their permission in those same places is punishable by a fine, up to 2 years in prison, or both. If the victim is under 12 years old, the maximum prison time (except for the one that already allows life) is doubled.

Title 18, §2244

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whoever, 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 or causes sexual contact with or by another person, if so to do would violate—

(1)subsection (a) or (b) of section 2241 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than ten years, or both;

(2)section 2242 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than three years, or both;

(3)subsection (a) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both;

(4)subsection (b) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both;

(5)subsection (c) of section 2241 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life; or

(6)subsection (c) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both; 11 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.

(b)Whoever, 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 sexual contact with another person without that other person’s permission shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

(c)If the sexual contact that violates this section (other than subsection (a)(5)) is with an individual who has not attained the age of 12 years, the maximum term of imprisonment that may be imposed for the offense shall be twice that otherwise provided in this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Pub. L. 99–646 and Pub. L. 99–654 added identical section 2244.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 117–103 added par. (6). 2007—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 110–161 substituted “the head of any Federal department or agency” for “the Attorney General”. 2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–248, § 207(2), inserted comma after “Attorney General” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 109–162, § 1177(a)(5), inserted “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 Attorney General” after “in a Federal prison,” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–248, § 206(a)(2)(A)(i), inserted “subsection (a) or (b) of” before “section 2241 of this title”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 109–162, § 1177(b)(2), substituted “two years” for “six months”. Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 109–248, § 206(a)(2)(A)(ii)–(iv), added par. (5). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–248, § 207(2), inserted comma after “Attorney General”. Pub. L. 109–162, § 1177(a)(5), (b)(2), inserted “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 Attorney General” after “in a Federal prison,” and substituted “two years” for “six months”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–248, § 206(a)(2)(B), inserted “(other than subsection (a)(5))” after “violates this section”. 1998—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–314 added subsec. (c). 1994—Subsecs. (a)(4), (b). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”. 1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–690 substituted “ten years” for “five years” in par. (1) and “two years” for “one year” in par. (3).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2022 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 117–103 not effective until Oct. 1 of the first fiscal year beginning after Mar. 15, 2022, see section 4(a) of div. W of Pub. L. 117–103, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 6851 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

§2244 Abusive sexual contact

Summary

Title 18, §2244

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata