Selling or buying of children
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Any parent, legal guardian, or other person having custody or control of a minor who sells or otherwise transfers custody or control of such minor, or offers to sell or otherwise transfer custody of such minor either—
(1) with knowledge that, as a consequence of the sale or transfer, the minor will be portrayed in a visual depiction engaging in, or assisting another person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct; or
(2) with intent to promote either—
(A) the engaging in of sexually explicit conduct by such minor for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct; or
(B) the rendering of assistance by the minor to any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct;
shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 30 years or for life and by a , if any of the circumstances described in subsection (c) of this section exist.
(b) Whoever purchases or otherwise obtains custody or control of a minor, or offers to purchase or otherwise obtain custody or control of a minor either—
(1) with knowledge that, as a consequence of the purchase or obtaining of custody, the minor will be portrayed in a visual depiction engaging in, or assisting another person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct; or
(2) with intent to promote either—
(A) the engaging in of sexually explicit conduct by such minor for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct; or
(B) the rendering of assistance by the minor to any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct;
shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 30 years or for life and by a , if any of the circumstances described in subsection (c) of this section exist.
(c) The circumstances referred to in subsections (a) and (b) are that—
(1) in the course of the conduct described in such subsections the minor or the actor traveled in or was transported in or affecting ;
(2) any offer described in such subsections was communicated or transported using any means or facility of or in or affecting by any means including by computer or mail; or
(3) the conduct described in such subsections took place in any territory or possession of the United States.
History: (Added Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7512(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4486 (PDF, 56 MB); amended Pub. L. 108–21, title I, §103(b)(1)(B), Apr. 30, 2003, 117 Stat. 653; Pub. L. 110–358, title I, §103(a)(2), (b), Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 4002, 4003.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a parent, guardian, or caretaker to sell or transfer custody of a child, or for anyone to buy or obtain custody of a child, knowing or intending that the child will be used in sexually explicit images. There must be a link to interstate or foreign travel or communication, or the conduct must occur in a U.S. territory.