§2423. Transportation of minors

(a) Transportation With Intent To Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.-A person who knowingly transports an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with intent that the individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.

(b) Travel With Intent To Engage in Sexual Act With a Juvenile.-A person who travels in interstate commerce, or conspires to do so, or a United States citizen or an alien admitted for permanent residence in the United States who travels in foreign commerce, or conspires to do so, for the purpose of engaging in any sexual act (as defined in section 2246) with a person under 18 years of age that would be in violation of chapter 109A if the sexual act occurred in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 812 ; Pub. L. 95–225, §3(a), Feb. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 8 ; Pub. L. 99–628, §5(b)(1), Nov. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 3511 ; Pub. L. 103–322, title XVI, §160001(g), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2037 ; Pub. L. 104–71, §5, Dec. 23, 1995, 109 Stat. 774 ; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §§601(b)(4), 604(b)(33), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3499 , 3508; Pub. L. 105–314, title I, §103, Oct. 30, 1998, 112 Stat. 2976 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §400 (June 25, 1910, ch. 395, §4, 36 Stat. 826 ).

Words "deemed guilty of a felony" were deleted as unnecessary in view of definition of felony in section 1 of this title. (See reviser's note under section 550 of this title.)

Words "and on conviction thereof shall be" were deleted as surplusage since punishment cannot be imposed until a conviction is secured.

Words "Possession of the United States" were inserted twice. (See reviser's note under section 2421 of this title.)

Minor changes were made in phraseology.

Amendments

1998-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–314, §103(1), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which read as follows:

"(a) Transportation With Intent To Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.-A person who knowingly transports any individual under the age of 18 years in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both."

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–314, §103(2), substituted "15 years" for "10 years".

1996-Pub. L. 104–294, §604(b)(33), amended directory language of Pub. L. 103–322, §160001(g). See 1994 Amendment note below.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–294, §601(b)(4), made amendment identical to that made by Pub. L. 104–71. See 1995 Amendment note below.

1995-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–71 substituted "2246" for "2245".

1994-Pub. L. 103–322, as amended by Pub. L. 104–294, §604(b)(33), added subsec. (b) and substituted "(a) Transportation With Intent To Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.-A person who" for "Whoever".

1986-Pub. L. 99–628 amended section generally, revising and restating as one paragraph provisions formerly contained in subsec. (a) and striking out subsec. (b) which provided definitions.

1978-Pub. L. 95–225 substituted "Transportation of minors" for "Coercion or enticement of minor female" in section catchline, designated existing provision as subsec. (a), substituted provisions relating to conduct prohibiting the transportation of minors for provisions relating to conduct prohibiting the coercion or enticement of a minor female, and added subsec. (b).

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by section 604(b)(33) of Pub. L. 104–294 effective Sept. 13, 1994, see section 604(d) of Pub. L. 104–294, set out as a note under section 13 of this title.

Canal Zone

Applicability of section to Canal Zone, see section 14 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 14, 1961, 2253, 2254, 2255, 3486A, 3559 of this title; title 8 section 1101.