{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-46.2.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-46.2.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-46.2.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-46.2.html"}],"law_id":60069,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60069,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.2","catch_line":"Prohibited criminal street gang participation; penalty","history":"2000, c. 332; 2023, cc. 396, 397.","full_text":"A\n\nAny person who actively participates in or is a member of a criminal street gang and who knowingly and willfully participates in any predicate criminal act committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang is guilty of a Class 4 felony. However, (i) if such participant in or member of a criminal street gang is 18 years of age or older and knows or has reason to know that such criminal street gang also includes a juvenile member or participant or (ii) if such predicate criminal act is an act of violence as defined in § 18.2-46.1, he is guilty of a Class 3 felony.B\n\nViolation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. If the acts or activities violating this section also violate another provision of law, a prosecution under this section shall not prohibit or bar any prosecution or proceeding under such other provision or the imposition of any penalties provided for thereby.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":219845,"text":"Any person who actively participates in or is a member of a criminal street gang and who knowingly and willfully participates in any predicate criminal act committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang is guilty of a Class 4 felony. However, (i) if such participant in or member of a criminal street gang is 18 years of age or older and knows or has reason to know that such criminal street gang also includes a juvenile member or participant or (ii) if such predicate criminal act is an act of violence as defined in § 18.2-46.1, he is guilty of a Class 3 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":219846,"text":"Violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. If the acts or activities violating this section also violate another provision of law, a prosecution under this section shall not prohibit or bar any prosecution or proceeding under such other provision or the imposition of any penalties provided for thereby.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15685,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes by Gangs","identifier":"2.1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13100,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:57:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:57:54","permalink":{"id":164869,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15685,"identifier":"2.1","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1","url":"\/18.2\/4\/2.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13100,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against the Person","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":164763,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13100,"identifier":"4","token":"18.2\/4","url":"\/18.2\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":86583,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-46.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.1","metadata":false},{"id":60069,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.2","catch_line":"Prohibited criminal street gang participation; penalty","url":"\/18.2-46.2\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.2","metadata":false},{"id":70242,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.3","catch_line":"Recruitment of persons for criminal street gang; penalty","url":"\/18.2-46.3\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.3","metadata":false},{"id":64920,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.3:1","catch_line":"Third or subsequent conviction of criminal street gang crimes","url":"\/18.2-46.3_1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.3_1","metadata":false},{"id":78328,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.3:2","catch_line":"Forfeiture","url":"\/18.2-46.3_2\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.3_2","metadata":false},{"id":69277,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.3:3","catch_line":"Enhanced punishment for gang activity taking place in a gang-free zone; penalties","url":"\/18.2-46.3_3\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.3_3","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":86583,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-46.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":70242,"structure_id":15685,"section_number":"18.2-46.3","catch_line":"Recruitment of persons for criminal street gang; penalty","url":"\/18.2-46.3\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.3","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-46.2\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2000. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 332<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2023, chapters 396<\/a> and 397<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":57160,"section_number":"16.1-260","catch_line":"Intake; petition; investigation","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-260\/"},{"id":64920,"section_number":"18.2-46.3:1","catch_line":"Third or subsequent conviction of criminal street gang crimes","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-46.3_1\/"},{"id":69277,"section_number":"18.2-46.3:3","catch_line":"Enhanced punishment for gang activity taking place in a gang-free zone; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-46.3_3\/"},{"id":56127,"section_number":"18.2-460","catch_line":"Obstructing justice; resisting arrest; fleeing from a law-enforcement officer; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-460\/"},{"id":81173,"section_number":"19.2-11.2","catch_line":"Crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information; exceptions; testimonial privilege","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-11.2\/"},{"id":75041,"section_number":"19.2-299","catch_line":"Investigations and reports by probation officers in certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-299\/"},{"id":61280,"section_number":"19.2-392.02","catch_line":"National criminal background checks by businesses and organizations regarding employees or volunteers providing care to children or the elderly or disabled","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.02\/"},{"id":78541,"section_number":"19.2-83.1","catch_line":"Report of arrest of school employees and adult students for certain offenses","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-83.1\/"},{"id":77776,"section_number":"2.2-511","catch_line":"Criminal cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-511\/"},{"id":83381,"section_number":"52-28.1","catch_line":"Reporting of gang-related criminal information; inclusion in annual Crime in Virginia report","order_by":null,"url":"\/52-28.1\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":86583,"section_number":"18.2-46.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-46.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":164875,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60069,"identifier":"18.2-46.2","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.2","url":"\/18.2-46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-46.2\/","token":"18.2\/4\/2.1\/18.2-46.2","dublin_core":{"Title":"Prohibited criminal street gang participation; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-46.2","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any person who actively participates in or is a member of a criminal street gang<\/span> and who knowingly and willfully participates in any predicate criminal act<\/span> committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang<\/span> is guilty of a Class 4 felony<\/span>. However, (i) if such participant in or member of a criminal street gang<\/span> is 18 years of age or older and knows or has reason to know that such criminal street gang<\/span> also includes a juvenile member or participant or (ii) if such predicate criminal act<\/span> is an act of violence<\/span> as defined in § 18.2-46.1<\/a>, he is guilty of a Class 3 felony<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense<\/span>. If the acts or activities violating this section also violate another provision of law<\/span>, a prosecution<\/span> under this section shall not prohibit or bar any prosecution<\/span> or proceeding under such other provision or the imposition of any penalties provided for thereby. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROHIBITED CRIMINAL STREET GANG PARTICIPATION; PENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-46.2)\n\nA. Any person who actively participates in or is a member of a criminal street\ngang and who knowingly and willfully participates in any predicate criminal act\ncommitted for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any\ncriminal street gang is guilty of a Class 4 felony. However, (i) if such\nparticipant in or member of a criminal street gang is 18 years of age or older\nand knows or has reason to know that such criminal street gang also includes a\njuvenile member or participant or (ii) if such predicate criminal act is an act\nof violence as defined in § 18.2-46.1, he is guilty of a Class 3 felony.\n\nB. Violation of this section shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.\nIf the acts or activities violating this section also violate another provision\nof law, a prosecution under this section shall not prohibit or bar any\nprosecution or proceeding under such other provision or the imposition of any\npenalties provided for thereby.\n\nHISTORY: 2000, c. 332; 2023, cc. 396, 397.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}