Abduction of Minor for Concubinage or Prostitution (Post 3 of 5)

Abduction in Virginia for immoral purposes is considered aggravated abduction and significantly increases the penalties for an abduction conviction.  Aggravated abduction in Virginia is charged under Va. Code §18.2-48 and is committed when an offender abducts a person with the intent to extort money, abducts with intent to defile, abducts a minor for concubinage or prostitution, abducts any person for the purposes of prostitution, or abducts a minor to manufacture child pornography.

This is the 3rd post in a 5 part series discussing how an offender can be convicted of aggravated abduction in Virginia.  This post focuses on abduction of a minor under the age of 16 in Virginia for concubinage or prostitution under Va. Code §18.2-48(iii).

For more information on abduction to extort money, see post 1 in this series.  For more information on abduction with intent to defile, see post 2 in this series.  For more information on abduction for purposes of prostitution, see post 4 in this series.  See post 5 in this series for more information on abduction of a minor for manufacturing child pornography.

Abduction of Minor in Virginia for Concubinage or Prostitution Charge

Aggravated abduction under Va. Code §18.2-48(iii) is committed when an offender abducts a child under the age of 16 for the purposes of concubinage or prostitution.  The Commonwealth must prove both that the offender abducted the victim, the victim, did so for the purposes of concubinage or prostitution, and must prove that the victim was under the age of 16 to convict an offender of abduction under §18.2-48(iii).

An offender commits an abduction for purposes of concubinage or prostitution under Va. Code §18.2-48(iii) by:

• using force, intimidation or deception to
• seize, take, transport, detain or secrete
• a child under the age of 16
• with intent to deprive that person of personal liberty or withhold that person from lawful custody
• without legal justification or excuse
• for purposes of concubinage or prostitution.

Penalty for Abduction of Minor in Virginia for Concubinage or Prostitution

Aggravated abduction in Virginia under Va. Code §18.2-48 is a Class 2 felony.  As a result, a conviction for abducting a minor under the of 16 for concubinage or prostitution in Virginia is punished with 20 years up to life in prison.  Additionally, if the offender receives anything less than a life sentence, the judge is required to impose a mandatory suspended prison sentence of 40 years.  The offender will also be barred for the rest of his life from coming within 100 feet of the premises of a playground, athletic field, athletic facility, or gym to have contact with any child not in his custody.

Abduction of Minor in Virginia for Concubinage or Prostitution Statute

§18.2-48. Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose.