(a) It is unlawful for any person, for purposes of prostitution, to:
(1) Persuade, entice, or forcibly abduct a child under 18 years of age from his or her home or usual abode, or from the custody and control of the child's parents or guardian; or
(2) Secrete or harbor any child so persuaded, enticed, or abducted from his or her home or usual abode, or from the custody and control of the child's parents or guardian.
(b) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 20 years, or by a fine of not more than $20,000, or both.
CREDIT(S)
(Mar. 3, 1901, 31 Stat. 1322, ch. 854, § 813; May 21, 1994, D.C. Law 10-119, § 2(q), 41 DCR 1639; Apr. 24, 2007, D.C. Law 16-306, § 213, 53 DCR 8610.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 22-2704.
1973 Ed., § 22-2704.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 16-306 rewrote the section, which had previously read:
“Any person who, for purposes of prostitution, persuades, entices, or forcibly abducts a child under 16 years of age from his or her home or usual abode, or from the custody and control of the child's parents or guardian, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 2 years and not more than 20 years; and whoever knowingly secretes or harbors any child so persuaded, enticed, or abducted shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 8 years.”
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 213 of Omnibus Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-445, July 19, 2006, 53 DCR 6443).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 213 of Omnibus Public Safety Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-490, October 18, 2006, 53 DCR 8686).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 213 of Omnibus Public Safety Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2007 (D.C. Act 17-10, January 16, 2007, 54 DCR 1479).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 213 of Omnibus Public Safety Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2007 (D.C. Act 17-25, April 19, 2007, 54 DCR 4036).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 10-119, the “Anti-Gender Discriminatory Language Criminal Offenses Amendment Act of 1994,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 10-332, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on February 1, 1994, and March 1, 1994, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on March 17, 1994, it was assigned Act No. 10-209 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 10-119 became effective on May 21, 1994.
For Law 16-306, see notes following § 22-404.