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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>59217</law_id><section_number>18.2-59.1</section_number><catch_line>Sexual extortion; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>19.2-392.12</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="6">Extortion and Other Threats</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any person who maliciously threatens in writing, including an electronically transmitted communication producing a visual or electronic message, (i) to disseminate, sell, or publish a videographic or still image, created by any means whatsoever, or (ii) to not delete, remove, or take back a previously disseminated, sold, or published videographic or still image, created by any means whatsoever, that depicts the complaining <span class="dictionary">witness</span> or such complaining <span class="dictionary">witness</span>&#x2019;s family or household member, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/16.1-228/">16.1-228</a>, as totally nude or in a state of undress so as to expose the genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to cause the complaining <span class="dictionary">witness</span> to engage in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate <span class="dictionary">object</span> sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="General definitions" href="/18.2-67.10/">18.2-67.10</a>, and thereby engages in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate <span class="dictionary">object</span> sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="General definitions" href="/18.2-67.10/">18.2-67.10</a>, is guilty of a Class 5 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. However, any adult who violates this section with a person under the age of 18 is guilty of a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> punishable by confinement in a state correctional facility for a term of not less than one nor more than 20 years and by a fine of not more than $100,000. <a id="paragraph-217072" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-59.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who maliciously threatens eviction, loss of housing, property damage, or any financial loss with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to cause the complaining <span class="dictionary">witness</span> to engage in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate <span class="dictionary">object</span> sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="General definitions" href="/18.2-67.10/">18.2-67.10</a>, and thereby engages in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate <span class="dictionary">object</span> sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="General definitions" href="/18.2-67.10/">18.2-67.10</a>, is guilty of a Class 5 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. However, any adult who violates this section with a person under the age of 15 is guilty of a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> punishable by confinement in a state correctional facility for a term of not less than one nor more than 20 years and by a fine of not more than $100,000. <a id="paragraph-217073" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-59.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> pursuant to this section may be in the county, city, or town in which the communication was either made or received. <a id="paragraph-217074" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-59.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2023, c. 612; 2025, c. 227.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
