US Code

Public Law 119-88 (05/04/2026)

18 U.S.C. § 2244

Abusive sexual contact

(a)

Sexual Conduct in Circumstances Where Sexual Acts Are Punished by This Chapter .—

Whoever, in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the head of any Federal department or agency, knowingly engages in or causes sexual contact with or by another person, if so to do would violate—
(1)
section 2241 of this title subsection (a) or (b) of had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than ten years, or both;
(2)
section 2242 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than three years, or both;
(3)
section 2243 of this title subsection (a) of had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both;
(4)
section 2243 of this title subsection (b) of had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both;
(5)
section 2241 of this title subsection (c) of had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life; or
(6)
section 2243 of this title1
1 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.
subsection (c) of had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both; 
(b)

In Other Circumstances .—

Whoever, in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the head of any Federal department or agency, knowingly engages in sexual contact with another person without that other person’s permission shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
(c)

Offenses Involving Young Children .—

If the sexual contact that violates this section (other than subsection (a)(5)) is with an individual who has not attained the age of 12 years, the maximum term of imprisonment that may be imposed for the offense shall be twice that otherwise provided in this section.

Pub. L. 99–646, § 87(b)100 Stat. 3622 Pub. L. 99–654, § 2100 Stat. 3661 Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7058(a)102 Stat. 4403 Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K)108 Stat. 2147 Pub. L. 105–314, title III, § 302112 Stat. 2979 Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1177(a)(5)119 Stat. 3125 Pub. L. 109–248, title II120 Stat. 613 Pub. L. 110–161, div. E, title V, § 554121 Stat. 2082 Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title XII, § 1202(d)136 Stat. 925 (Added , , , and , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , ; , (b)(2), , ; , §§ 206(a)(2), 207(2), , , 615; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 99–646Pub. L. 99–654 and added identical sections 2244.

Amendments

Pub. L. 117–1032022—Subsec. (a)(6). added par. (6).

Pub. L. 110–1612007—Subsecs. (a), (b). substituted “the head of any Federal department or agency” for “the Attorney General”.

Pub. L. 109–248, § 207(2)2006—Subsec. (a). , inserted comma after “Attorney General” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 109–162, § 1177(a)(5), inserted “or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the Attorney General” after “in a Federal prison,” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 109–248, § 206(a)(2)(A)(i)section 2241 of this titleSubsec. (a)(1). , inserted “subsection (a) or (b) of” before “”.

Pub. L. 109–162, § 1177(b)(2)Subsec. (a)(4). , substituted “two years” for “six months”.

Pub. L. 109–248, § 206(a)(2)(A)(ii)Subsec. (a)(5). –(iv), added par. (5).

Pub. L. 109–248, § 207(2)Subsec. (b). , inserted comma after “Attorney General”.

Pub. L. 109–162, § 1177(a)(5), (b)(2), inserted “or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the Attorney General” after “in a Federal prison,” and substituted “two years” for “six months”.

Pub. L. 109–248, § 206(a)(2)(B)Subsec. (c). , inserted “(other than subsection (a)(5))” after “violates this section”.

Pub. L. 105–3141998—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 103–3221994—Subsecs. (a)(4), (b). substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

Pub. L. 100–6901988—Subsec. (a). substituted “ten years” for “five years” in par. (1) and “two years” for “one year” in par. (3).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2022 Amendment

Pub. L. 117–103section 4(a) of div. W of Pub. L. 117–103section 6851 of Title 15Amendment by not effective until Oct. 1 of the first fiscal year beginning after , see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Commerce and Trade.