18 USC § 2261B - Enhanced penalty for stalkers of children

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s2261B"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 2261B - Enhanced penalty for stalkers of children"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "2261B"
section_name: "Enhanced penalty for stalkers of children"
chapter_number: 110
chapter_name: "DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STALKING"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 116–249, § 2(a), Dec. 22, 2020, 134 Stat. 1126.)"
---


# § 2261B. Enhanced penalty for stalkers of children

**(a)** **In General.—** Except as provided in subsection (b), if the victim of an offense under section 2261A is under the age of 18 years, the maximum imprisonment for the offense is 5 years greater than the maximum term of imprisonment otherwise provided for that offense in section 2261.

**(b)** **Limitation.—** Subsection (a) shall not apply to a person who violates section 2261A if—

**(1)** the person is subject to a sentence under section 2261(b)(5); and

**(2)**

**(A)** the person is under the age of 18 at the time the offense occurred; or

**(B)** the victim of the offense is not less than 15 nor more than 17 years of age and not more than 3 years younger than the person who committed the offense at the time the offense occurred.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 116–249, § 2(a), Dec. 22, 2020, 134 Stat. 1126.)