Certain activities relating to material involving the sexual exploitation of minors
United States Code
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★Landmark AuthorityTop 1% most-cited · cited by 3,520 decisions
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- 2026United States v. Johnsen 9th Cir.
- 2026Joed Torres Monge v. Estado Libre Asociado De Puerto Rico P/C Departamento De Justicia De Puerto Rico Y Otros
- 2026United States v. Holley D.D.C.
- 2026United States v. Joshua Schatz 7th Cir.
- 2026United States v. Everill 5th Cir.
- 2026United States v. Yevgeniy Dudko 8th Cir.
- 2026United States v. Vallejo 9th Cir.
- 2026Gedeon v. United States of America D.D.C.
- 2026United States v. Emily Sahara Lau 11th Cir.
- 2026People v. Accurso N.Y. App. Div.
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Text
the producing of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and such visual depiction is of such conduct; the producing of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and such visual depiction is of such conduct; in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or on any land or building owned by, leased to, or otherwise used by or under the control of the Government of the United States, or in the Indian country as defined in section 1151 of this title, knowingly sells or possesses with intent to sell any visual depiction; or the producing of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and such visual depiction is of such conduct; or in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or on any land or building owned by, leased to, or otherwise used by or under the control of the Government of the United States, or in the Indian country as defined in section 1151 of this title, knowingly possesses, or knowingly accesses with intent to view, 1 or more books, magazines, periodicals, films, video tapes, or other matter which contain any visual depiction; or the producing of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and such visual depiction is of such conduct; Whoever violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a) shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years, but if such person has a prior conviction under this chapter, section 1591, chapter 71, chapter 109A, or chapter 117, or under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or the laws of any State relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, or abusive sexual conduct involving a minor or ward, or the production, possession, receipt, mailing, sale, distribution, shipment, or transportation of child pornography, or sex trafficking of children, such person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not less than 15 years nor more than 40 years. Whoever violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, paragraph (4) of subsection (a) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both, but if any visual depiction involved in the offense involved a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, such person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or if such person has a prior conviction under this chapter, chapter 71, chapter 109A, or chapter 117, or under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or the laws of any State relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, or abusive sexual conduct involving a minor or ward, or the production, possession, receipt, mailing, sale, distribution, shipment, or transportation of child pornography, such person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not less than 10 years nor more than 20 years. possessed less than three matters containing any visual depiction proscribed by that paragraph; and took reasonable steps to destroy each such visual depiction; or reported the matter to a law enforcement agency and afforded that agency access to each such visual depiction. the scope of ‘exhibition of the genitals or pubic area’ in section 2256(2)(E), in the definition of ‘sexually explicit conduct’, is not limited to nude exhibitions or exhibitions in which the outlines of those areas were discernible through clothing; and the requirements in section 2252(a)(1)(A), (2)(A), (3)(B)(i), and (4)(B)(i) that the production of a visual depiction involve the use of a minor engaging in ‘sexually explicit conduct’ of the kind described in section 2256(2)(E) are satisfied if a person photographs a minor in such a way as to exhibit the child in a lascivious manner.” Any person who— knowingly transports or ships using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means including by computer or mails, any visual depiction, if— knowingly receives, or distributes, any visual depiction using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or that has been mailed, or has been shipped or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or which contains materials which have been mailed or so shipped or transported, by any means including by computer, or knowingly reproduces any visual depiction for distribution using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or through the mails, if— either— knowingly sells or possesses with intent to sell any visual depiction that has been mailed, shipped, or transported using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce, or has been shipped or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or which was produced using materials which have been mailed or so shipped or transported using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce, including by computer, if— either— knowingly possesses, or knowingly accesses with intent to view, 1 or more books, magazines, periodicals, films, video tapes, or other matter which contain any visual depiction that has been mailed, or has been shipped or transported using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or which was produced using materials which have been mailed or so shipped or transported, by any means including by computer, if— It shall be an affirmative defense to a charge of violating paragraph (4) of subsection (a) that the defendant— promptly and in good faith, and without retaining or allowing any person, other than a law enforcement agency, to access any visual depiction or copy thereof— The Congress declares that in enacting sections 2252 and 2256 of title 18, United States Code, it was and is the intent of Congress that— (Source: (Added Pub. L. 95–225, § 2(a), Feb. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 7; amended Pub. L. 98–292, § 4, May 21, 1984, 98 Stat. 204; Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(b) [title VII, § 704(b)], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–39, 1783–75, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(b) [title VII, § 704(b)], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–39, 3341–75; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7511(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4485; Pub. L. 101–647, title III, § 323(a), (b), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4818, 4819; Pub. L. 103–322, title XVI, § 160001(d), (e), title XXXIII, § 330010(8), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2037, 2143; Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(a) [title I, § 121[5]], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009, 3009–26, 3009–30; Pub. L. 105–314, title II, §§ 202(a), 203(a), Oct. 30, 1998, 112 Stat. 2977, 2978; Pub. L. 108–21, title I, § 103(a)(1)(B), (C), (b)(1)(C), (D), title V, § 507, Apr. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 652, 653, 683; Pub. L. 109–248, title II, § 206(b)(2), July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 614; Pub. L. 110–358, title I, § 103(a)(3), (b), (c), title II, § 203(a), Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 4002, 4003; Pub. L. 112–206, § 2(a), Dec. 7, 2012, 126 Stat. 1490; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 569(3), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1906.))