§ 2251.
(a)
Any person who employs, uses, persuades, induces, entices, or coerces any minor to engage in, or who has a minor assist any other person to engage in, or who transports any minor in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, with the intent that such minor engage in, any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct or for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct, shall be punished as provided under subsection (e), if such person knows or has reason to know that such visual depiction will be transported or transmitted using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or mailed, if that visual depiction was produced or transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer, or if such visual depiction has actually been transported or transmitted using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or mailed.
(b)
Any parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or control of a minor who knowingly permits such minor to engage in, or to assist any other person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct or for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct shall be punished as provided under subsection (e) of this section, if such parent, legal guardian, or person knows or has reason to know that such visual depiction will be transported or transmitted using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or mailed, if that visual depiction was produced or transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer, or if such visual depiction has actually been transported or transmitted using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or mailed.
(e)
Any individual who violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, this section shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 15 years nor more than 30 years, but if such person has one prior conviction under this chapter, section 1591, chapter 71, chapter 109A, or chapter 117, or under
section 920 of title 10 (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), or under the laws of any State relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact involving a minor or ward, or sex trafficking of children, or the production, possession, receipt, mailing, sale, distribution, shipment, or transportation of child pornography, such person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not less than 25 years nor more than 50 years, but if such person has 2 or more prior convictions under this chapter, chapter 71, chapter 109A, or chapter 117, or under
section 920 of title 10 (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), or under the laws of any State relating to the sexual exploitation of children, such person shall be fined under this title and imprisoned not less than 35 years nor more than life. Any organization that violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, this section shall be fined under this title. Whoever, in the course of an offense under this section, engages in conduct that results in the death of a person, shall be punished by death or imprisoned for not less than 30 years or for life.
(Added [Pub. L. 95–225, § 2(a)], Feb. 6, 1978, [92 Stat. 7]; amended [Pub. L. 98–292, § 3], May 21, 1984, [98 Stat. 204]; [Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(b) [title VII, § 704(a)]], Oct. 18, 1986, [100 Stat. 1783–39], 1783–75, and [Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(b) [title VII, § 704(a)]], Oct. 30, 1986, [100 Stat. 3341–39], 3341–75; [Pub. L. 99–628], §§ 2, 3, Nov. 7, 1986, [100 Stat. 3510]; [Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7511(a)], Nov. 18, 1988, [102 Stat. 4485]; [Pub. L. 101–647, title XXXV, § 3563], Nov. 29, 1990, [104 Stat. 4928]; [Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60011], title XVI, § 160001(b)(2), (c), (e), title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(S)–(U), Sept. 13, 1994, [108 Stat. 1973], 2037, 2148; [Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(a) [title I, § 121[4]]], Sept. 30, 1996, [110 Stat. 3009], 3009–26, 3009–30; [Pub. L. 105–314, title II, § 201], Oct. 30, 1998, [112 Stat. 2977]; [Pub. L. 108–21, title I, § 103(a)(1)(A)], (b)(1)(A), title V, §§ 506, 507, Apr. 30, 2003, [117 Stat. 652], 653, 683; [Pub. L. 109–248, title II, § 206(b)(1)], July 27, 2006, [120 Stat. 614]; [Pub. L. 110–358, title I, § 103(a)(1)], (b), Oct. 8, 2008, [122 Stat. 4002], 4003; [Pub. L. 110–401, title III, § 301], Oct. 13, 2008, [122 Stat. 4242].)