76-5-401. Unlawful sexual activity with a minor — Penalties — Evidence of age raised by defendant — Limitations.
| (1) |
Attorney's NoteUnder the Utah Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|
| class A misdemeanor | up to 364 days | up to $2,500 | | class B misdemeanor | up to 6 months | up to $1,000 |
For details, see Utah Code § 76-3-204
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Terms Used In Utah Code 76-5-401- Act: means a voluntary bodily movement and includes speech. See Utah Code 76-1-101.5
- Actor: means a person whose criminal responsibility is in issue in a criminal action. See Utah Code 76-1-101.5
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Offense: means a violation of any penal statute of this state. See Utah Code 76-1-101.5
| (a) |
As used in this section, “minor” means an individual who is 14 years old or older, but younger than 16 years old, at the time the sexual activity described in Subsection (2) occurred. |
| (b) |
Terms defined in Section 76-1-101.5 apply to this section. |
|
| (2) |
| (a) |
Under circumstances not amounting to an offense listed in Subsection (4), an actor 18 years old or older commits unlawful sexual activity with a minor if the actor:
| (i) |
has sexual intercourse with the minor; |
| (ii) |
engages in any sexual act with the minor involving the genitals of an individual and the mouth or anus of another individual; or |
| (iii) |
causes the penetration, however slight, of the genital or anal opening of the minor by a foreign object, substance, instrument, or device, including a part of the human body, with the intent to cause substantial emotional or bodily pain to any individual or with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any individual. |
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| (b) |
Any touching, however slight, is sufficient to constitute the relevant element of a violation of Subsection (2)(a)(ii). |
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| (3) |
| (a) |
A violation of Subsection (2) is a third degree felony. |
| (b) |
| (i) |
Notwithstanding Subsection (3)(a) or (c), if the defendant establishes by a preponderance of the evidence the mitigating factor that the defendant is less than four years older than the minor at the time the sexual activity occurred, the offense is a class B misdemeanor. |
| (ii) |
An offense under Subsection (3)(b)(i) is not subject to registration under Subsection 77-41-102(18)(a)(vii). |
|
| (c) |
| (i) |
Notwithstanding Subsection (3)(a), if the defendant establishes by a preponderance of the evidence the mitigating factor that the defendant was younger than 21 years old at the time the sexual activity occurred, the offense is a class A misdemeanor. |
| (ii) |
An offense under Subsection (3)(c)(i) is not subject to registration under Subsection 77-41-102(18)(a)(vii). |
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| (4) |
The offenses referred to in Subsection (2)(a) are:
| (a) |
rape, in violation of Section 76-5-402; |
| (b) |
object rape, in violation of Section 76-5-402.2; |
| (c) |
forcible sodomy, in violation of Section 76-5-403; |
| (d) |
aggravated sexual assault, in violation of Section 76-5-405; or |
| (e) |
an attempt to commit an offense listed in Subsections (4)(a) through (4)(d). |
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Amended by Chapter 123, 2023 General Session
