18.2-47 - Abduction and kidnapping defined; punishment. - Virginia Statutes

§ 18.2-47. Abduction and kidnapping defined; punishment.

A. Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legaljustification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretesanother person with the intent to deprive such other person of his personalliberty or to withhold or conceal him from any person, authority orinstitution lawfully entitled to his charge, shall be deemed guilty of"abduction."

B. Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legaljustification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretesanother person with the intent to subject him to forced labor or servicesshall be deemed guilty of "abduction." For purposes of this subsection, theterm "intimidation" shall include destroying, concealing, confiscating,withholding, or threatening to withhold a passport, immigration document, orother governmental identification or threatening to report another as beingillegally present in the United States.

C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law-enforcementofficer in the performance of his duty. The terms "abduction" and"kidnapping" shall be synonymous in this Code. Abduction for which nopunishment is otherwise prescribed shall be punished as a Class 5 felony.

D. If an offense under subsection A is committed by the parent of the personabducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending,the offense shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor in addition to being punishable ascontempt of court. However, such offense, if committed by the parent of theperson abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding thenpending and the person abducted is removed from the Commonwealth by theabducting parent, shall be a Class 6 felony in addition to being punishableas contempt of court.

(Code 1950, §§ 18.1-36, 18.1-37; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1979, c.663; 1980, c. 506; 1997, c. 747; 2009, c. 662.)