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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86583</law_id><section_number>18.2-46.1</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-1812.2</reference><reference>16.1-269.2</reference><reference>16.1-273</reference><reference>16.1-300</reference><reference>16.1-309.1</reference><reference>16.1-330.1</reference><reference>18.2-46.2</reference><reference>18.2-513</reference><reference>18.2-55.1</reference><reference>19.2-215.1</reference><reference>19.2-299</reference><reference>19.2-66</reference><reference>4.1-225</reference><reference>48-7</reference><reference>48-8</reference><reference>48-9</reference><reference>52-8.6</reference><reference>66-3.2</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Crimes Against the Person</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2.1">Crimes by Gangs</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Act of violence</span>&#x201D; means those <span class="dictionary">felony</span> <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> described in subsection C of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints" href="/17.1-805/">17.1-805</a> or subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Sentence of person twice previously convicted of certain violent felonies" href="/19.2-297.1/">19.2-297.1</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Criminal street gang</span>&#x201D; means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, (i) which has as one of its primary objectives or activities the commission of one or more criminal activities; (ii) which has an identifiable name or identifying sign or symbol; and (iii) whose members individually or collectively have engaged in the commission of, attempt to commit, conspiracy to commit, or solicitation of two or more <span class="dictionary">predicate criminal acts</span>, at least one of which is an <span class="dictionary">act of violence</span>, provided such acts were not part of a common act or transaction.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Predicate criminal act</span>&#x201D; means (i) an <span class="dictionary">act of violence</span>; (ii) any violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Assault or battery by mob" href="/18.2-42/">18.2-42</a>, <a class="law" title="Recruitment of persons for criminal street gang; penalty" href="/18.2-46.3/">18.2-46.3</a>, <a class="law" title="Reckless handling of firearms; reckless handling while hunting" href="/18.2-56.1/">18.2-56.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Assault and battery; penalty" href="/18.2-57/">18.2-57</a>, <a class="law" title="Assault and battery against a family or household member; penalty" href="/18.2-57.2/">18.2-57.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Extortion of money, property or pecuniary benefit" href="/18.2-59/">18.2-59</a>, <a class="law" title="Threats to bomb, damage, or discharge a firearm within or at buildings or means of transportation; false information as to danger to such buildings, etc.; punishment; venue" href="/18.2-83/">18.2-83</a>, <a class="law" title="Grand larceny defined; how punished" href="/18.2-95/">18.2-95</a>, <a class="law" title="Organized retail theft; penalty" href="/18.2-103.1/">18.2-103.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Receipt of stolen firearm" href="/18.2-108.1/">18.2-108.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Entering property of another for purpose of damaging it, etc.; penalties" href="/18.2-121/">18.2-121</a>, <a class="law" title="Injuries to churches, church property, cemeteries, burial grounds, etc.; penalty" href="/18.2-127/">18.2-127</a>, <a class="law" title="Trespass upon church or school property" href="/18.2-128/">18.2-128</a>, <a class="law" title="Injuring, etc., any property, monument, etc" href="/18.2-137/">18.2-137</a>, <a class="law" title="Damaging public buildings, etc.; penalty" href="/18.2-138/">18.2-138</a>, <a class="law" title="Breaking, injuring, defacing, destroying, or preventing the operation of vehicle, aircraft, boat, or vessel; penalties" href="/18.2-146/">18.2-146</a>, <a class="law" title="Entering or setting in motion, vehicle, aircraft, boat, locomotive or rolling stock of railroad; exceptions" href="/18.2-147/">18.2-147</a>, <a class="law" title="Transporting controlled substances into the Commonwealth; penalty" href="/18.2-248.01/">18.2-248.01</a>, <a class="law" title="Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute methamphetamine; penalty" href="/18.2-248.03/">18.2-248.03</a>, <a class="law" title="Distribution of certain drugs to persons under 18 prohibited; penalty" href="/18.2-255/">18.2-255</a>, <a class="law" title="Prohibiting the sale or manufacture of drugs on or near certain properties; penalty" href="/18.2-255.2/">18.2-255.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty" href="/18.2-287.4/">18.2-287.4</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession or use of &quot;sawed-off&quot; shotgun or rifle" href="/18.2-300/">18.2-300</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession of firearm, stun weapon, or other weapon on school property prohibited; penalty" href="/18.2-308.1/">18.2-308.1</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession or transportation of firearms, firearms ammunition, stun weapons, explosives or concealed weapons by convicted felons; penalties; petition for restoration order; when issued" href="/18.2-308.2/">18.2-308.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession or transportation of certain firearms by certain persons" href="/18.2-308.2_01/">18.2-308.2:01</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession of firearms while in possession of certain substances" href="/18.2-308.4/">18.2-308.4</a>, or <a class="law" title="Commercial sex trafficking; penalties" href="/18.2-357.1/">18.2-357.1</a>; (iii) a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Stalking; penalty" href="/18.2-60.3/">18.2-60.3</a>, <a class="law" title="Prostitution; solicitation; commercial exploitation of a minor; penalties" href="/18.2-346.01/">18.2-346.01</a>, <a class="law" title="Aiding prostitution or illicit sexual intercourse, etc.; penalty" href="/18.2-348/">18.2-348</a>, or <a class="law" title="Using vehicles to promote prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse; penalty" href="/18.2-349/">18.2-349</a>; (iv) a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Home cultivation of marijuana for personal use; penalties" href="/4.1-1101/">4.1-1101</a>, <a class="law" title="Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties" href="/18.2-248/">18.2-248</a>, or <a class="law" title="Penalties for sale, gift, distribution or possession with intent to sell, give or distribute marijuana" href="/18.2-248.1/">18.2-248.1</a> or a conspiracy to commit a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Home cultivation of marijuana for personal use; penalties" href="/4.1-1101/">4.1-1101</a>, <a class="law" title="Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties" href="/18.2-248/">18.2-248</a>, or <a class="law" title="Penalties for sale, gift, distribution or possession with intent to sell, give or distribute marijuana" href="/18.2-248.1/">18.2-248.1</a>; (v) any violation of a local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Willful and malicious damage to or defacement of public or private facilities; penalty" href="/15.2-1812.2/">15.2-1812.2</a>; or (vi) any substantially similar <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of another state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the United States.</p></section></text><history>2000, c. 332; 2004, cc. 396, 435, 462, 867; 2005, cc. 764, 813; 2006, cc. 262, 319, 844, 895; 2007, c. 499; 2012, c. 364; 2013, cc. 573, 645; 2014, cc. 674, 719; 2015, cc. 690, 691; 2019, c. 617; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 188, 550, 551; 2023, cc. 357, 358, 396, 397.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
