Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 265, § 26D (2026)

Enticement of child under age 18 to engage in prostitution, human trafficking or commercial sexual activity

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 26D. (a) As used in this section, the term ''entice'' shall mean to lure, induce, persuade, tempt, incite, solicit, coax or invite.

(b) As used in this section, the term ''electronic communication'' shall include, but not be limited to, any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo-electronic or photo-optical system.

(c) Whoever, by electronic communication, knowingly entices a child under the age of 18 years, to engage in prostitution in violation of section 50 or section 53A of chapter 272, human trafficking in violation of section 50, 51, 52 or 53 or commercial sexual activity as defined in section 49, or attempts to do so, shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 21/2 years or in the state prison for not more than 5 years or by a fine of not less than $2,500, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(d) Whoever, after having been convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent by reason of a violation of this section, commits a second or subsequent such violation, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 5 years and by a fine of not less than $10,000. Such sentence shall not be reduced to less than 5 years, or suspended, nor shall any person convicted under this subsection be eligible for probation, parole, work release or furlough or receive any deduction from the sentence for good conduct until that person has served 5 years of such sentence.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2019–2025 · leading case: Scione v. Commonwealth Commonwealth v. Barnes, 114 N.E.3d 74 (Mass. 2019).
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Scione v. Commonwealth Commonwealth v. Barnes, 114 N.E.3d 74 (Mass. 2019). · cites it 2× “" 3 Barnes was also charged with violating G. L. c. 265, § 26D (enticement of child for prostitution); G.”
Comm. for Pub. Couns. Servs. v. Chief Just. of the Trial Court (Mass. 2020). “265, § 26C), enticing a child under the age of eighteen via electronic communication to engage in prostitution, human trafficking or commercial sexual activity (G. L. c. 265, § 26D); trafficking of persons for sexual servitude (G.”
Commonwealth v. Brendan J. Garafalo (& Nine Companion Cases) (Mass. 2025). “265, § 26C ("entice" as used in crime of enticing child under age sixteen "shall mean to lure, induce, persuade, tempt, incite, solicit, coax or invite"); G. L. c. 265, § 26D (same for crime of enticement of child under age eighteen to engage in prostitution, human trafficking,…”
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