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Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-355

Taking, detaining, etc., person for prostitution, etc., or consenting thereto; human trafficking

Applied in 2 court decisions — leading case Edwards v. Commonwealth (1978)

Most recently applied in People v. Diaz (December 2018)

Code 1950, § 18.1-204; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1980, c. 534; 1997, c. 555; 2014, cc. 649, 706; 2015, c. 395.

Any person who:

(1) For purposes of prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse, takes any person into, or persuades, encourages or causes any person to enter, a bawdy place, or takes or causes such person to be taken to any place against his or her will for such purposes; or

(2) Takes or detains a person against his or her will with the intent to compel such person, by force, threats, persuasions, menace or duress, to marry him or her or to marry any other person, or to be defiled; or

(3) Being parent, guardian, legal custodian or one standing in loco parentis of a person, consents to such person being taken or detained by any person for the purpose of prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse; or

(4) For purposes of prostitution, takes any minor into, or persuades, encourages, or causes any minor to enter, a bawdy place, or takes or causes such person to be taken to any place for such purposes; is guilty of pandering.

A violation of subdivision (1), (2), or (3) is punishable as a Class 4 felony. A violation of subdivision (4) is punishable as a Class 3 felony.

Official source: Virginia Law Portal (LIS). Reproduced from public-domain Virginia statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.