<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64740</law_id><section_number>19.2-303.01</section_number><catch_line>Reduction of sentence; substantial assistance to prosecution</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="18">Sentence; Judgment; Execution of Sentence</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Notwithstanding any other provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span> or rule of <span class="dictionary">court</span>, upon <span class="dictionary">motion</span> of the attorney for the Commonwealth, the sentencing <span class="dictionary">court</span> may reduce the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s sentence if the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, after entry of the final <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> <span class="dictionary">order</span>, provided substantial assistance in investigating or prosecuting another person for (i) an act of violence as defined in &#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>, an act of <span class="dictionary">larceny</span> of a firearm in violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Grand larceny defined; how punished" href="/18.2-95/">18.2-95</a>, or any violation of &#xA7;&#xA0;<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>, <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="Allowing a minor or incapacitated person to be present during manufacture or attempted manufacture of methamphetamine or fentanyl prohibited; penalties" href="/18.2-248.02/">18.2-248.02</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="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>, <a class="law" title="Illegal stimulants and steroids; penalty" href="/18.2-248.5/">18.2-248.5</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession and distribution of flunitrazepam; enhanced penalty" href="/18.2-251.2/">18.2-251.2</a>, <a class="law" title="Possession and distribution of gamma-butyrolactone; 1, 4-butanediol; enhanced penalty" href="/18.2-251.3/">18.2-251.3</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="Certain premises deemed common nuisance; penalty" href="/18.2-258/">18.2-258</a>, <a class="law" title="Maintaining a fortified drug house; penalty" href="/18.2-258.02/">18.2-258.02</a>, <a class="law" title="Obtaining drugs, procuring administration of controlled substances, etc., by fraud, deceit or forgery" href="/18.2-258.1/">18.2-258.1</a>, or <a class="law" title="Assisting individuals in unlawfully procuring prescription drugs; penalty" href="/18.2-258.2/">18.2-258.2</a>, or any substantially similar <span class="dictionary">offense</span> in any other <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, which <span class="dictionary">offense</span> would be a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> if committed in the Commonwealth; (ii) a conspiracy to commit any of the <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> listed in clause (i); or (iii) violations as a principal in the second degree or <span class="dictionary">accessory before the fact</span> of any of the <span class="dictionary">offenses</span> listed in clause (i). In determining whether the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> has provided substantial assistance pursuant to the provisions of this section, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall consider (a) the <span class="dictionary">court</span>&#x2019;s evaluation of the significance and usefulness of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s assistance, taking into consideration the Commonwealth&#x2019;s evaluation of the assistance rendered; (b) the truthfulness, completeness, and reliability of any information or <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> provided by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>; (c) the nature and extent of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s assistance; (d) any injury suffered or any danger or risk of injury to the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> or his family resulting from his assistance; and (e) the timeliness of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s assistance. If the <span class="dictionary">motion</span> is made more than one year after entry of the final <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> <span class="dictionary">order</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may reduce a sentence only if the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>&#x2019;s substantial assistance involved (1) information not known to the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> until more than one year after entry of the final <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> <span class="dictionary">order</span>, (2) information provided by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> within one year of entry of the final <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> <span class="dictionary">order</span> but that did not become useful to the Commonwealth until more than one year after entry of the final <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> <span class="dictionary">order</span>, or (3) information the usefulness of which could not reasonably have been anticipated by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> until more than one year after entry of the final <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> <span class="dictionary">order</span> and which was promptly provided to the Commonwealth by the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> after its usefulness was reasonably apparent.</p></section></text><history>2018, cc. 492, 493; 2020, c. 765.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
