Online Solicitation of a Minor by State (2026)
How each state handles online solicitation of a minor and the penalties, from each state's code.
| State | Online solicitation of a minor |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Electronic solicitation of a child (using a computer, phone, internet service, video game system or other electronic device to entice or lure a child at least three years younger than the defendant, or someone believed to be such a child, to meet for sexual acts, or directing a child to engage in sexual acts) is a Class B felony (2 to 20 years). For this offense a child is a person under 16. Traveling, or trying to travel, to meet a child (or someone believed to be a child) for an unlawful sex act is a Class A felony (10 to 99 years or life). Ala. Code 1975 §§ 13A-6-120, 13A-6-122, 13A-6-124; class ranges § 13A-5-6 |
| Alaska | An adult who knowingly communicates with a child under 16, or someone they believe is under 16 (such as an undercover officer), to entice, solicit or encourage the child to engage in sexual conduct commits 'enticement of a minor.' The sexual act does not have to happen. It is a class B felony, sentenced as a sexual felony with a presumptive 5 to 15 years for a first felony offense, and a class A felony if the person was already required to register as a sex offender or child kidnapper. AS 11.41.452, 12.55.125(i)(3); AS 12.55.035, 12.55.125, 12.55.135 |
| Arizona | Luring a minor for sexual exploitation (offering or soliciting sexual conduct with someone the person knows or has reason to know is a minor) is a class 3 felony, and it is no defense that the other person was not actually a minor (for example, an undercover officer). If the minor is under 15 it is a dangerous crime against children (5 / 10 / 15 years for a first offense). Aggravated luring, which adds sending a sexually explicit image harmful to minors by phone or computer as part of the solicitation, is a class 2 felony, or 10 / 17 / 24 years if the minor is under 15. Both offenses bar probation, suspension and early release. A.R.S. §§ 13-3554, 13-3560, 13-705 |
| Arkansas | Internet stalking of a child applies to a person 21 or older who uses the internet or other electronic communication to seduce, solicit or lure a child 15 or younger (or someone believed to be that age), or contacts a person posing as the child's parent or guardian, to arrange a meeting for sexual activity. Attempting to arrange such a meeting is a Class B felony (5 to 20 years) even if no meeting happens; if the meeting actually takes place, it is a Class Y felony (10 to 40 years or life) even if no sexual act occurs. Ark. Code Ann. § 5-27-306 |
| California | Contacting or communicating with a minor, in person or by phone, computer, text or any other means, knowing or having reason to know the person is a minor, with intent to commit kidnapping, rape, lewd acts, child sexual abuse material offenses or other listed sex crimes, is punished by the state prison term for an attempt to commit the intended crime; a repeat conviction adds a consecutive 5 years. Arranging a meeting with a minor, or someone believed to be a minor, for lewd purposes is a misdemeanor up to 1 year in county jail and/or a $5,000 fine (state prison with a prior registrable sex conviction). Actually going to the arranged meeting is a felony of 2, 3 or 4 years in state prison. Cal. Pen. Code 288.3, 288.4; Pen. Code 17, 18, 19, 1170(h) |
| Colorado | Internet luring of a child (communicating by computer, phone, text or instant message with someone the actor knows or believes is under 15, describing explicit sexual conduct and inviting the person to meet, when the actor is more than four years older) is a class 5 felony (1 to 3 years), or a class 4 felony (2 to 6 years) if the intent is to meet for sexual contact or sexual exploitation. It is no defense that no meeting took place. Internet sexual exploitation of a child (enticing someone believed to be under 15 and at least four years younger to expose or touch intimate parts, or to watch the actor's, over an electronic connection) is a class 4 felony. C.R.S. §§ 18-3-306, 18-3-405.4 |
| Connecticut | Enticing a minor (using the internet or another interactive computer service to knowingly persuade or coerce someone under 18, or someone the person reasonably believes is under 18, to engage in prostitution or illegal sexual activity) is a class D felony (up to 5 years) for a first offense, a class C felony (1 to 10 years) for a second, and a class B felony (1 to 20 years) after that. If the victim is under 13 it is a class B felony with 5 years that cannot be suspended or reduced for a first offense and 10 years for a later offense. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-90a; § 53a-35a |
| Delaware | Sexual solicitation of a child (an adult soliciting or trying to get someone under 18, or someone the adult believes is under 18, to engage in a prohibited sexual act, including by computer, cell phone or other electronic device) is a class C felony (up to 15 years), and a class B felony (2 to 25 years) if the adult meets or tries to meet the child in person. It is no defense that the sex act never happened or that the adult was only role-playing. Promoting the sexual solicitation of a child by someone else is graded the same way. 11 Del. C. §§ 1112A, 1112B; § 4205 |
| District of Columbia | Enticing a child or minor (someone at least 4 years older than a child, or in a significant relationship with a minor, who seduces, entices, convinces or persuades the young person to engage in a sexual act or contact, or takes them somewhere to commit a sex offense) carries up to 5 years and a fine. The same penalty applies to trying to entice a person who represents themselves as a child (such as an undercover officer posing online) into sexual activity or into going somewhere for sex. The statute does not name the internet or phones but is not limited to in-person contact. D.C. Code § 22-3010 |
| Florida | Using the internet, a phone or any other electronic device to seduce, solicit, lure or entice a child, or a person believed to be a child (such as an undercover officer), to commit a sex crime is a third-degree felony (up to 5 years), and a second-degree felony (up to 15 years) if the offender lies about their age. Each separate use of a device is a separate offense. Traveling (or trying to travel) to meet the child for sex after such online contact is a second-degree felony. Fla. Stat. § 847.0135(3), (4); §§ 775.082, 775.083 |
| Georgia | Using the internet, a computer or a wireless device to seduce, solicit, lure or entice a child (or a person believed to be a child, or a person with custody of a child) to commit a sex offense is computer or electronic pornography and child exploitation, a felony punishable by 1 to 20 years and a fine of up to $25,000. Obscene internet contact with a child (sexually explicit online messages to someone known or believed to be a child, to arouse sexual desire) is a felony with 1 to 10 years or a fine of up to $10,000. Both are misdemeanors if the victim was at least 14 and the defendant 18 or younger. O.C.G.A. § 16-12-100.2(d), (e) |
| Hawaii | Electronic enticement of a child applies when someone uses a computer or other electronic device to communicate with a minor under 18 (or a person who claims to be under 18, such as an undercover officer), agrees to meet them intending to commit a felony, and travels to the meeting place at the agreed time. It is first degree, a class B felony (10 years, with an indeterminate prison term), when the intended crime is murder, a class A felony or another listed sex offense, and second degree, a class C felony (5 years), for any other felony. Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 707-756, 707-757 |
| Idaho | An adult who knowingly uses the internet, a phone or any other communication device to solicit, lure or entice a child (or someone the adult believes is a child) to engage in a sexual act that would be a crime under Idaho's child, rape or sex-crime chapters commits enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. 'Child' means under 16, or 16 or 17 when the adult is at least 5 years older. It is not a defense that an undercover officer was involved, and the sexual act does not have to occur. Idaho Code § 18-1509A |
| Illinois | Indecent solicitation of a child: a person 17 or older who knowingly solicits a child under 17 (or someone believed to be one), by any means including phone, computer or advertisement, to perform a sexual act, intending a sex offense, commits a Class 1, 2 or 3 felony depending on the act sought; knowingly discussing a sexual act with a child over the Internet with that intent is a Class 4 felony (1 to 3 years). Solicitation to meet a child (an adult using a computer, phone or other device to arrange to meet a child under 17 without a parent's knowledge for an unlawful purpose) is a Class A misdemeanor, or a Class 4 felony if the solicitor believes they are 5 or more years older. Grooming (someone 5 or more years older, or in a position of trust, using electronic communications, written messages or other conduct to lure a child under 17 into a sex offense or unlawful sexual conduct) is a Class 4 felony. 720 ILCS 5/11-6, 5/11-6.6, 5/11-25; 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-25 to -65 |
| Indiana | Child solicitation is an adult urging, luring or enticing a child under 14 (or someone believed to be) to engage in sexual intercourse, other sexual conduct or sexual touching, by any means including phone, writing or a computer network; it is a Level 5 felony (1 to 6 years), or a Level 4 felony (2 to 12 years) for intercourse or sexual conduct if the person used a computer network and traveled to meet the child or has a prior solicitation conviction. The same grades apply when a person 21 or older solicits a child 14 or 15. Sexual grooming (an adult communicating with someone believed to be under 14 about sexual activity, or repeated contact to condition the child for sexual activity) is a Class B misdemeanor, a Class A misdemeanor if done over a computer network, and a Level 6 felony with a prior conviction. IC 35-42-4-6, 35-42-4-13; IC 35-50-2-4 to -7, 35-50-3-2 to -4 |
| Iowa | Iowa's enticing a minor law expressly covers enticement by phone, internet, social media, text, instant message or email, and it applies when the target is an officer posing as a minor. Enticing or attempting to entice a person believed to be under 13 with intent to commit sexual abuse or sexual exploitation is a class C felony (up to 10 years). Enticing or attempting to entice a person believed to be under 16 with intent to commit an illegal sex act or sexual exploitation is a class D felony (up to 5 years). The person must commit an overt act showing a purpose to entice. Iowa Code § 710.10 (Iowa Code 2026) |
| Kansas | Electronic solicitation is using the phone, internet, email, chat, texting or other electronic means to entice or solicit a person the offender believes is a child to commit or submit to an unlawful sexual act. It is a severity level 3 person felony if the offender believes the child is 14 or 15, and a severity level 1 person felony if the offender believes the child is under 14. Because the crime turns on what the offender believes, it applies when the 'child' is actually an undercover officer. Felony prison ranges come from the sentencing grid, which combines the severity level with criminal history. K.S.A. 21-5509, 21-6804 |
| Kentucky | Kentucky makes it a crime to knowingly use a computer, phone or other electronic communications system to procure or promote a minor (including an officer posing as a minor, or an adult claiming to be a go-between for a minor) for rape, sodomy, sexual abuse, commercial sexual activity, or child sexual abuse material offenses. It is a Class C felony (5 to 10 years), and a Class B felony (10 to 20 years) if the minor or perceived minor is under 12, the offender holds a position of authority or special trust, is already a registered sex offender, or came into Kentucky for this purpose, or the activity is commercial sexual activity. The crime is complete once the solicitation is made, whether or not a meeting happens, and each day of use is a separate offense. KRS 510.155, 532.060 |
| Louisiana | Using a phone or computer to lure a minor is called computer-aided solicitation of a minor: a person 17 or older knowingly communicating electronically with someone under 17 (more than two years younger), or someone believed to be, to persuade or entice them into sexual conduct or a crime of violence. It carries a fine up to $10,000 and 5 to 10 years at hard labor without parole, probation or suspension when the victim is 13 to 16; 10 to 20 years when the victim is under 13; and 2 to 10 years when the 'victim' is a person reasonably believed to be under 17 (such as an undercover officer). If actual sexual conduct results and the age difference is five years or more, the penalty is 7 to 10 years; a later conviction carries 10 to 20 years at hard labor without parole, probation or suspension. Conviction requires sex offender registration. La. R.S. 14:81.3 |
| Maine | Maine's offense is soliciting a child to commit a prohibited act: a person 16 or older who, intending to engage in a sexual act, sexual contact or sexual exploitation with the other person, knowingly solicits by any means (including online) someone the actor knows or believes is under 14, and the actor is at least 3 years older than the age the other person expressed. It is a Class D crime (less than 1 year and up to $2,000), or a Class C crime (up to 5 years and $5,000) if the actor knows or believes the other person is under 12. 17-A M.R.S. § 259-A; §§ 1604(1), 1704 |
| Maryland | Sexual solicitation of a minor means knowingly soliciting a minor, or a police officer posing as a minor (or the minor's parent or guardian), by any means including by computer, internet, phone or other electronic means, intending to commit second degree rape, third degree sexual offense, child pornography or certain prostitution and trafficking offenses. It is a felony punishable by up to 10 years and/or a $25,000 fine for a first offense, and up to 20 years and/or $50,000 for a second or later offense. The crime is committed in Maryland if the solicitation starts or is received there. Md. Code, Crim. Law § 3-324 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts' main luring law is enticement of a child under 16: enticing (luring, soliciting, coaxing or inviting) a child under 16, or someone believed to be under 16, to enter, leave or stay in a vehicle, home, building or outdoor space, intending that the person or someone else commit a listed sex crime or child pornography offense or a crime of force. It is punishable by up to 5 years in state prison or 2.5 years in a house of correction, or imprisonment plus a fine up to $5,000. Separately, using electronic communication to entice a child under 18 into prostitution, human trafficking or commercial sexual activity is punishable by up to 5 years in state prison or 2.5 years in a house of correction and/or a fine of at least $2,500; a repeat offense carries at least 5 years in state prison and a fine of at least $10,000. G.L. c. 265, §§ 26C, 26D |
| Michigan | Using the internet or a computer to communicate with a minor, or someone believed to be a minor, for the purpose of committing listed sex crimes, child sexually abusive material offenses, kidnapping and other crimes is a separate offense whose penalty depends on the maximum for the underlying crime: up to 1 year (misdemeanor) for crimes punishable by under 1 year, rising in steps to up to 10 years and/or $5,000 for crimes with a 4- to 10-year maximum, up to 15 years and/or $10,000 for crimes with a 10- to 15-year maximum, and up to 20 years and/or $20,000 when the underlying crime carries 15 years or more or life. MCL 750.145d(1)-(2) |
| Minnesota | Electronic solicitation of children is a felony: a person 18 or older who uses the internet, a phone or any electronic device, with intent to arouse sexual desire, to solicit a child 15 or younger (or someone believed to be) to engage in sexual conduct, to communicate with the child about sexual conduct, or to send the child sexual material. It is punishable by up to 5 years and/or a $10,000 fine; in-person solicitation of a child carries the same penalty. Minn. Stat. § 609.352, subds. 1, 2a, 4 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi covers online luring within its child exploitation law: knowingly enticing, inducing, persuading, seducing, soliciting, advising, coercing or ordering a child to meet with the defendant or another person to engage in sexually explicit conduct, or to produce a sexual image, is a felony. It is no defense that the 'child' was actually an undercover officer, and the crime occurs in Mississippi if the communication starts or is received there. The penalty is 5 to 40 years in prison and a fine of $50,000 to $500,000 for a first offense, and life or not less than 20 years plus a fine of $100,000 to $1,000,000 for a repeat offense. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 97-5-33(6)-(9), 97-5-35 |
| Missouri | Grooming or enticement of a minor (by any means, including online, a person more than four years older trying to persuade, solicit or lure a minor under 18 to engage in sexual conduct, a sexual performance or a commercial sex act) is a felony punishable by 5 to 30 years in prison, with no parole for five years. If the minor actually engages in the conduct, the minimum is 10 years with no parole, probation or suspended sentence for ten years, and the sentence runs consecutively to any other crime. It is no defense that the 'minor' was an undercover officer, and the court must order restitution to the victim. RSMo § 566.151 |
| Montana | Using any means of communication, including electronic communication, to persuade, entice or direct a child under 16 (or an undercover officer believed to be one) to engage in sexual conduct, or to view sexual material to induce illegal sexual activity, is sexual abuse of children. So is traveling to meet such a child for sex, or arranging the child's travel. The penalty is life imprisonment or 4 to 100 years in prison and up to $10,000; if the child is (or is believed to be) 12 or younger and the offender is an adult, 100 years with 25 years before parole eligibility. It is no defense that the 'child' was actually an adult or officer. MCA § 45-5-625(1)(c), (h), (i), (2)(b), (4), (5) |
| Nebraska | Knowingly using a phone, computer or other electronic communication device to solicit, coax, entice or lure a child 16 or younger (or a peace officer believed to be one) to engage in a sexual assault is a Class ID felony (3 to 50 years, 3-year mandatory minimum). If the person has a prior conviction for a covered offense, it is a Class IC felony (5 to 50 years, 5-year mandatory minimum). Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-320.02 |
| Nevada | Luring a child (contacting a child under 16 who is at least 5 years younger to solicit or lure the child into sexual conduct, or to take the child away without a parent's consent) through a computer, system or network with the intent to engage in sexual conduct is a category B felony punishable by 1 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Sending or requesting harmful material through a computer is a category C felony, and other computer luring is a gross misdemeanor. Luring with intent to engage in sexual conduct without using a computer is a category B felony of 2 to 15 years. NRS 201.560(1), (4)-(5) |
| New Hampshire | Knowingly using an online service, internet service or bulletin board to seduce, solicit, lure or entice a child under 16 (or a person believed to be one) to commit a sexual assault offense, indecent exposure or child endangerment is a class B felony (up to 7 years), or a class A felony (up to 15 years) if the person believed the child was under 13. A repeat offense is a class A felony, with up to 20 years (minimum up to 10) if the child was believed to be under 13; with two or more prior convictions the maximum is 30 years. It is no defense that the 'child' was actually an adult, if the person reasonably believed it was a child. RSA 649-B:2, 649-B:4 |
| New Jersey | Yes. Luring or enticing a child (attempting, by electronic or any other means, to lure or entice a person under 18, or someone the person reasonably believes is under 18, into a vehicle, building or isolated area, or to meet at any place, intending to commit a crime with or against the child) is a crime of the second degree: 5-10 years and up to $150,000. A second or later luring conviction requires prison with a parole-ineligibility term of one-third to one-half of the sentence or 3 years, whichever is greater, and a luring conviction after a prior sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact or endangering conviction requires a 5-year mandatory minimum. A luring conviction does not merge with other offenses, so each is sentenced separately. N.J.S. 2C:13-6; N.J.S. 2C:43-3, 2C:43-6 |
| New Mexico | Child solicitation by electronic communication device is knowingly soliciting a child under 16, using a computer, phone or other electronic device, to engage in sexual intercourse, sexual contact, a sexual or obscene performance or other sexual conduct, when the solicitor is at least 4 years older. It is a fourth degree felony (18 months) if the child is 13 to 15 and a third degree felony (3 years) if under 13; if the person also shows up at a meeting arranged through the solicitation, it is a third degree felony (13 to 15) or second degree felony (under 13). It is no defense that the 'child' was a police officer posing as one, and the offense occurs in New Mexico if the message is sent or received there. NMSA 1978, 30-37-3.2; NMSA 1978, 31-18-15, 31-19-1 |
| New York | Disseminating indecent material to minors in the first degree covers knowingly using a computer or online system to start or carry on communication with a minor that depicts or describes nudity or sexual conduct harmful to minors, and through it luring, inviting or persuading the minor to engage in sexual contact or a sexual performance. It is a class D felony: up to 7 years. N.Y. Penal Law 235.22; 70.00 |
| North Carolina | Yes. Solicitation of a child by computer (a person 16 or older knowingly using a computer or other electronic device to entice or command a child under 16 who is at least five years younger, or someone believed to be such a child or that child's parent or caretaker, to meet for an unlawful sex act) is a Class G felony for a first offense and a Class E felony for a repeat offense. It is a Class D felony if the defendant, or someone the defendant arranged the meeting for, actually shows up at the meeting place. The child's consent is not a defense. N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-202.3; 15A-1340.17 |
| North Dakota | Yes. Luring minors by computer or other electronic means (an adult using electronic communication with sexual content with someone the adult believes is a minor, to invite or induce sexual acts, contact or a sexual performance) is graded by ages. If the adult is under 22: class A misdemeanor (believed minor 15-17) or class C felony (believed minor under 15). If the adult is 22 or older: class C felony (believed minor 15-17) or class B felony, up to 10 years (believed minor under 15). Class B and C convictions require at least one year in prison unless the person took no substantial step toward meeting the minor. N.D.C.C. 12.1-20-05.1; 12.1-32-01 |
| Ohio | Yes. Importuning includes an adult using a phone, computer or other telecommunications device to solicit sexual activity from a child under 13 (or a police officer posing as one): a third-degree felony with a presumption of prison, mandatory prison if the offender arranged to meet the child, and a second-degree felony with mandatory prison after a prior sex offense. Soliciting by device a child 13 to 15 (or an officer posing as one) by an adult at least four years older is a fifth-degree felony with a presumption of prison, mandatory prison if the offender is 10 or more years older and arranged a meeting, and a fourth-degree felony with at least 12 months of mandatory prison after a prior sex offense. R.C. 2907.07(D)-(G); 2929.14 |
| Oklahoma | Yes. Using any technology (phone, text, computer, internet or similar) to facilitate, encourage, offer or solicit sexual conduct with a minor, or someone the person believes is a minor, or to engage in sexual communication with them, is a Class B4 felony punishable by up to 10 years, a fine up to $10,000, or both, and each communication is a separate offense. Separately, making an electronic or computer-generated lewd proposal to a child under 16 (or a person believed to be under 16) is punished as lewd molestation, 3 to 20 years. Involvement of an undercover officer is not a defense. 21 O.S. §§ 1040.13a, 1123(A)(1) |
| Oregon | Yes. Online sexual corruption of a child in the second degree (a person 18 or older who knowingly uses online communication, including texts, email or chat, to solicit a child the person reasonably believes is under 16 to engage in sexual contact or sexually explicit conduct and offers or agrees to meet the child) is a Class C felony (up to 5 years). It is first degree, a Class B felony (up to 10 years), if the person also intentionally takes a substantial step toward physically meeting the child. ORS 163.431, 163.432, 163.433 |
| Pennsylvania | Yes. Unlawful contact with a minor covers being intentionally in contact with a minor (including by phone, text or internet, and including an officer posing as a minor) for the purpose of committing a sexual offense, sexual abuse or exploitation of children, or similar listed offenses. It is graded the same as the most serious underlying offense, or as a felony of the third degree (up to 7 years), whichever is greater. 18 Pa.C.S. § 6318 |
| Rhode Island | Yes. Indecent solicitation of a child (knowingly soliciting a person under 18, or someone believed to be under 18, for prostitution or for a sexual offense, by any means including in person, by phone, in writing, by computer or over the internet) carries a prison term of at least 5 years. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-37-8.8, 11-37-8.9 |
| South Carolina | Yes. Criminal solicitation of a minor (an adult knowingly contacting or communicating with a person under 18, or someone reasonably believed to be under 18, to persuade, induce or entice them into sexual activity or a violent crime) is a felony punishable by up to 10 years, a fine up to $5,000, or both. The minor's consent is a defense only if the minor is 16 or older. S.C. Code § 16-15-342 |
| South Dakota | Yes. Solicitation of a minor (an adult soliciting a person under 18, or someone the adult reasonably believes is a minor, to engage in a prohibited sexual act, or compiling or sending a minor's identifying information by computer or other electronic means for that purpose) is a Class 4 felony (up to 10 years). The minor's or a parent's consent and mistake about age are not defenses, and an undercover officer's involvement is not a defense; the court must order a sex-offender assessment. SDCL 22-24A-5 |
| Tennessee | Yes. An adult who, by phone, email, the internet or any other communication, solicits someone they know or should know is under 18 (or an officer posing as one) to engage in a listed sex offense commits solicitation of a minor, graded one class below the most serious offense solicited (a Class A misdemeanor if that offense is a Class E felony). Separately, an adult who uses electronic means, including webcams, to get a minor to engage in sexual activity commits a Class B felony (8 to 30 years), and intentionally showing a minor sexual activity or sexual material (in person or electronically) is a Class E felony, or Class C if the minor is under 13. It is no defense that the solicited act never happened. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-13-528, 39-13-529; § 40-35-111 |
| Texas | Yes. Online solicitation of a minor (over the internet, text or another electronic service, knowingly asking someone under 17, or someone believed to be under 17, to meet for sexual activity) is a second-degree felony (2 to 20 years), and it is no defense that the meeting never happened. A person 17 or older who sends sexually explicit messages or material to a minor, intending to commit a listed sex offense, commits a third-degree felony (2 to 10 years), or second degree if the minor is (or is believed to be) under 14. Each is raised one grade if committed during school hours against a student the actor knew or should have known was enrolled. Tex. Penal Code § 33.021; §§ 12.33, 12.34 |
| Utah | Yes. Enticing a minor (using texts, the internet or another electronic communication, or building a relationship of trust with a minor or the minor's parent, to solicit, lure or entice someone under 18, or someone believed to be under 18, into illegal sexual activity) is graded one step below the sex offense sought: second-degree felony if the target offense is a first-degree felony (first degree, 3 years to life, on a repeat conviction), third-degree felony for a second-degree target offense, and down to a class C misdemeanor. It is no defense that an undercover officer was involved. A felony enticer with a prior listed sex or kidnapping conviction must be imprisoned with no probation. Utah Code § 76-5-417; §§ 76-3-203, 76-3-204 |
| Vermont | Yes. Luring a child (knowingly soliciting, luring, manipulating or enticing, or trying to, a child under 16, or someone believed to be under 16, to engage in a sexual act or lewd conduct, by any means including in person, phone, writing or electronic communication) carries up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine. It does not apply if the person is under 19, the child is at least 15 and the conduct is consensual. 13 V.S.A. §§ 2828, 2825(e) |
| Virginia | Yes. An adult who uses the internet, phone or any other communication system to solicit, with lascivious intent, a child they know or believe is under 15 for sexual acts or exposure, or to meet for those purposes, commits a Class 5 felony (1 to 10 years); if the adult is at least 7 years older, the penalty is 5 to 30 years with a 5-year mandatory minimum (10 to 40 years with a 10-year minimum for a repeat offense). Soliciting a child 15 to 17 by someone at least 7 years older is a Class 5 felony. Using a communication system to solicit any minor for child pornography or certain sex acts is also a Class 5 felony. Va. Code § 18.2-374.3; § 18.2-10 |
| Washington | Yes. Communicating with a minor, or someone believed to be a minor, for immoral (sexual) purposes is a gross misdemeanor (up to 364 days and/or $5,000), but it is a class C felony (up to 5 years and/or $10,000) if done through electronic communication, including for commercial sex or sex trafficking, or if the person has a prior conviction for this crime or a felony sex offense. RCW 9.68A.090; RCW 9A.20.021 |
| West Virginia | Yes. A person over 18 who knowingly uses a computer to solicit, entice, seduce or lure (or attempt to) a minor known or believed to be at least four years younger, in order to commit a sex offense or a felony drug offense, commits a felony punishable by 2 to 10 years, a fine up to $5,000, or both. If the person also takes an overt act to bring himself or herself into the minor's physical presence intending prohibited sexual activity, it is a felony punishable by a determinate sentence of 5 to 30 years, a fine up to $25,000, or both. 'Minor' means under 18, or a person representing himself or herself to be a minor (cases involving such a person are limited to law-enforcement investigations). W. Va. Code § 61-3C-14b |
| Wisconsin | Yes. Using a computerized communication system (such as the internet or a phone) to communicate with someone the person believes or has reason to believe is under 16, intending to have sexual contact or intercourse in violation of the child sexual assault law, is a Class C felony: up to 40 years and/or $100,000. The state must prove an act beyond the communication itself (such as traveling to meet) to show intent. The law does not apply if the person reasonably believed the other person was no more than 24 months younger. Adults convicted face a mandatory minimum of 5 years of initial confinement, subject to limited exceptions. Wis. Stat. §§ 948.075, 939.617, 939.50(3) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming's grooming law covers online and in-person conduct. An adult at least four years older than a minor who purposely or knowingly engages in a pattern of grooming (including sending electronic messages, such as on social media or gaming platforms) to manipulate the minor into sexual conduct, entice the minor to meet for sex, share sexually explicit material, or exploit a position of authority commits a felony: up to 5 years and/or $10,000, up to 10 years if the minor is 13 to 15, and up to 15 years and/or $15,000 if the minor is under 12 (higher, up to 30 years, for a person in a position of authority). Offenders must complete sex offender treatment and may be placed on probation for up to 10 years. Separately, an adult who solicits a child under 14, or someone purported to be under 14, to engage in sexual intrusion commits a felony punishable by up to 5 years. W.S. 6-2-321, 6-2-318 |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.