Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-110
§2244 Abusive Sexual Contact
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 109A — SEXUAL ABUSE › § 2244
Summary
It makes it a crime in certain federal places — like on U.S. ships or lands, in federal prisons, or in facilities holding people for a federal agency — to knowingly touch someone in a sexual way or cause someone else to do so. If that touching would count as a more serious federal sex offense, the punishment depends on how serious it would be and can include a fine and prison for up to 10 years, 3 years, 2 years, or, in one case, any number of years or life. If the sexual touching happens there without the other person’s permission, the crime carries a fine and up to 2 years in prison. If the victim is under 12 years old, the maximum prison time (except for the one that already allows life) is doubled.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §2244
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Sexual Conduct in Circumstances Where Sexual Acts Are Punished by This Chapter.—
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;
(b)In Other Circumstances.—
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)Offenses Involving Young Children.—
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.
Legislative History
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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 2244
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110