Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123 (2026)

Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 3123. Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

(a) Offense defined.--A person commits a felony of the first degree when the person engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a complainant:

(1) by forcible compulsion;

(2) by threat of forcible compulsion that would prevent resistance by a person of reasonable resolution;

(3) who is unconscious or where the person knows that the complainant is unaware that the sexual intercourse is occurring;

(4) where the person has substantially impaired the complainant's power to appraise or control his or her conduct by administering or employing, without the knowledge of the complainant, drugs, intoxicants or other means for the purpose of preventing resistance;

(5) who suffers from a mental disability which renders him or her incapable of consent; or

(6) (Deleted by amendment).

(7) who is less than 16 years of age and the person is four or more years older than the complainant and the complainant and person are not married to each other.

(b) Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child.--A person commits involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, a felony of the first degree, when the person engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a complainant who is less than 13 years of age.

(c) Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child with serious bodily injury.--A person commits an offense under this section with a child resulting in serious bodily injury, a felony of the first degree, when the person violates this section and the complainant is less than 13 years of age and the complainant suffers serious bodily injury in the course of the offense.

(d) Sentences.--Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1103 (relating to sentence of imprisonment for felony), a person convicted of an offense under:

(1) Subsection (b) shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which shall be fixed by the court at not more than 40 years.

(2) Subsection (c) shall be sentenced up to a maximum term of life imprisonment.

(e) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "forcible compulsion" includes, but is not limited to, compulsion resulting in another person's death, whether the death occurred before, during or after the sexual intercourse.

(Mar. 31, 1995, 1st Sp.Sess., P.L.985, No.10, eff. 60 days; Dec. 9, 2002, P.L.1350, No.162, eff. 60 days; Dec. 16, 2002, P.L.1953, No.226, eff. 60 days)

2002 Amendments. Act 226 overlooked the amendment by Act 162, but the amendments do not conflict in substance (except for the designation of the offenses in subsecs. (b) and (c) as felonies of the first degree, as to which Act 162 has been given effect) and both have been given effect in setting forth the text of section 3123.

Effective Date. After February 6, 2003, and before February 14, 2003, section 3123 will reflect only the amendment by Act 162, as follows:

§ 3123. Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

(a) Offense defined.--A person commits a felony of the first degree when the person engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a complainant:

(1) by forcible compulsion;

(2) by threat of forcible compulsion that would prevent resistance by a person of reasonable resolution;

(3) who is unconscious or where the person knows that the complainant is unaware that the sexual intercourse is occurring;

(5) who suffers from a mental disability which renders him or her incapable of consent; or

(6) who is less than 16 years of age and the person is four or more years older than the complainant and the complainant and person are not married to each other.

(b) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "forcible compulsion" includes, but is not limited to, compulsion resulting in another person's death, whether the death occurred before, during or after the sexual intercourse.

(c) Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child.--A person commits a felony of the first degree when the person engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a complainant who is less than 13 years of age.

(d) Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child with serious bodily injury.--A person commits a felony of the first degree when the person engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a complainant who is less than 13 years of age and the complainant suffers serious bodily injury in the course of the offense.

(e) Sentences.--Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1103 (relating to sentence of imprisonment for felony), a person convicted of an offense under:

(1) Subsection (c) shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which shall be fixed by the court at not more than 40 years.

(2) Subsection (d) shall be sentenced up to a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Cross References. Section 3123 is referred to in sections 1111, 2709.1, 2714, 3124.1, 3124.2, 3124.3, 3125, 3141, 5702, 5708, 6105, 9122, 9123, 9158 of this title; sections 5329, 6303, 6304, 6344, 6711 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations); sections 5551, 5552, 6302, 6358, 6402, 6403, 9717, 9718, 9720.2, 9799.12, 9799.14, 9799.17, 9799.24, 9799.55, 9799.58 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); sections 6139, 7122 of Title 61 (Prisons and Parole).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 676 cases (162 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Wolfe, M., 140 A.3d 651 (Pa. 2016).

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Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Wolfe, M., 140 A.3d 651 (Pa. 2016). · cites it 7× “18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse)— not less than ten years.”

Commonwealth v. Strafford, 194 A.3d 168 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018). · cites it 10× “8 18 Pa.C.S. §3123. 9 18 Pa.C.S. §3126(a)(7).”

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Resto, A., 179 A.3d 18 (Pa. 2018). · cites it 8× “Wolfe was then sentenced under Section 9718(a)(1) which provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than ten years for those convicted under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 when the victim is under sixteen years of age.”

Commonwealth v. Shannon, 608 A.2d 1020 (Pa. 1992). · cites it 24× “We are also asked to determine whether the imposition of separate sentences for convictions on subsections (2) and (5) of 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 arising from a single act constitutes an illegal sentence.”

J. Taylor v. The PSP of the Commonwealth of PA, 132 A.3d 590 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2016). · cites it 6× “10 Megan’s Law II required persons convicted of IDSI, 18 Pa. C.S. § 3123, to register for life.”

Commonwealth v. Fears, 836 A.2d 52 (Pa. 2003). · cites it 6× “[3] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123. [4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 5510.”

Com. v. Bankes, A., 286 A.3d 1302 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2022). · cites it 4× “3 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(7). 4 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(b).”

Commonwealth v. Mlinarich, 498 A.2d 395 (Pa. 1985). · cites it 14× “This *287 subsection defines the offense to include deviate sexual intercourse with another person "who is less than 16 years of age.”

C.C.H. v. Philadelphia Phillies, Inc., 940 A.2d 336 (Pa. 2008). · cites it 8× “§ 3126(a)(7), [8] and involuntary deviate sexual *343 intercourse with a child, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(b), Appellants also note that some of these statutes impose harsher penalties when the victim is less than 13 years of age.”

Commonwealth v. Meals, 912 A.2d 213 (Pa. 2006). · cites it 4× “[4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(3) and (7). [5] 18 Pa.”

Nelida Cabeda v. Attorney Gen. United States, 971 F.3d 165 (3rd Cir. 2020). · cites it 5× “Once confronted, Cabeda confessed and pled guilty in Pennsylvania state court to one count of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, in violation of 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123 (a)(7). She was sentenced to four to eight years’ imprisonment.”

Commonwealth v. Walls, 926 A.2d 957 (Pa. 2007). · cites it 2× “§ 3121(6); one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (IDSI) with a victim less than thirteen years old, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(6); and one count of incest.”

Show all 676 citing cases →

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(1) — 5 cases

Commonwealth v. Shannon, 608 A.2d 1020 (Pa. 1992). “We are also asked to determine whether the imposition of separate sentences for convictions on subsections (2) and (5) of 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 arising from a single act constitutes an illegal sentence.”

Commonwealth v. James, 486 A.2d 376 (Pa. 1985).

Commonwealth v. Perry, 588 A.2d 917 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1991).

Commonwealth v. Miller, 27 Pa. D. & C.4th 335 (1994).

Commonwealth v. Canfield, 20 Pa. D. & C.4th 530 (1992).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(2) — 5 cases

Commonwealth v. Mlinarich, 498 A.2d 395 (Pa. 1985). “This *287 subsection defines the offense to include deviate sexual intercourse with another person "who is less than 16 years of age.”

Commonwealth v. Niemetz, 422 A.2d 1369 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1980).

Commonwealth v. Mayo, 414 A.2d 696 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1979).

Commonwealth v. Miller, 27 Pa. D. & C.4th 335 (1994).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(4) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Waters, 483 A.2d 855 (Pa. 1984).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(5) — 15 cases

Commonwealth v. Mlinarich, 498 A.2d 395 (Pa. 1985). “This *287 subsection defines the offense to include deviate sexual intercourse with another person "who is less than 16 years of age.”

Commonwealth v. Doyle, 418 A.2d 1336 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1979).

Commonwealth v. Kubiac, 550 A.2d 219 (Pa. 1988).

Commonwealth v. Waters, 483 A.2d 855 (Pa. 1984).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(7) — 1 case

Commonwealth v. Masker, 34 A.3d 841 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2011).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(A)(1) — 1 case

Com. v. King, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(A)(7) — 3 cases

Com. v. Geier, E., Jr. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

A.G. Wright v. PSP (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2019).

Com. v. Cloward, M. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(B) — 3 cases

Com. v. Markelwitz, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Wilcox, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

L. Murray, Individually & as Parent & Guardian of J.F., a minor v. Cnty. of Delaware (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2025).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a) — 24 cases

Commonwealth v. Fears, 836 A.2d 52 (Pa. 2003). “[3] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123. [4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 5510.”

Commonwealth v. Ogrod, 839 A.2d 294 (Pa. 2003).

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Lynn, W., 114 A.3d 796 (Pa. 2015).

Commonwealth v. Rhoades, 8 A.3d 912 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010).

Commonwealth v. Parmelee, 74 Pa. D. & C.4th 62 (2005).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(1) — 85 cases

Commonwealth v. May, 887 A.2d 750 (Pa. 2005).

Commonwealth v. Weimer, 167 A.3d 78 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Commonwealth v. Buffington, 828 A.2d 1024 (Pa. 2003).

Commonwealth v. Rhoades, 8 A.3d 912 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010).

Commonwealth v. Pruitt, 951 A.2d 307 (Pa. 2008).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(1)(2) — 1 case

Com. v. Haigh, C.L. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(2) — 17 cases

Commonwealth v. Buffington, 828 A.2d 1024 (Pa. 2003).

Com. v. Thompson, D. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Voglino v. Shapiro (M.D. Penn. 2021).

In the Int. of: I.E.C., a Minor (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

Com. v. Young, V. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(3) — 13 cases

Commonwealth v. Meals, 912 A.2d 213 (Pa. 2006). “[4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(3) and (7). [5] 18 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Stahl, 175 A.3d 301 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Young, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021).

Commonwealth v. Lungin, 77 Pa. D. & C.4th 267 (2005).

Com. v. Harris, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(4) — 1 case

J. Taylor v. The PSP of the Commonwealth of PA, 132 A.3d 590 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2016). “10 Megan’s Law II required persons convicted of IDSI, 18 Pa. C.S. § 3123, to register for life.”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(5) — 4 cases

Commonwealth v. Parmelee, 74 Pa. D. & C.4th 62 (2005).

Com. v. Colton, P. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

In the Int. of: C.N.S., a Minor (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

Commonwealth v. Malave, 26 Pa. D. & C.4th 465 (1994).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(6) — 25 cases

Commonwealth v. Walls, 926 A.2d 957 (Pa. 2007). “§ 3121(6); one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (IDSI) with a victim less than thirteen years old, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(6); and one count of incest.”

Commonwealth v. Meals, 912 A.2d 213 (Pa. 2006). “[4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(3) and (7). [5] 18 Pa.”

Commonwealth v. Williams, 733 A.2d 593 (Pa. 1999).

Commonwealth v. Albert, 758 A.2d 1149 (Pa. 2000).

Com. v. Saez, R., 225 A.3d 169 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(7) — 129 cases

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Wolfe, M., 140 A.3d 651 (Pa. 2016). “18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse)— not less than ten years.”

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Resto, A., 179 A.3d 18 (Pa. 2018). “Wolfe was then sentenced under Section 9718(a)(1) which provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than ten years for those convicted under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123 when the victim is under sixteen years of age.”

Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016).

Commonwealth v. Sandusky, 203 A.3d 1033 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019).

Com. v. Bankes, A., 286 A.3d 1302 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2022). “3 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(7). 4 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(b).”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(8) — 1 case

Com. v. Katonka, P. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(a)(l) — 8 cases

Commonwealth v. Fears, 86 A.3d 795 (Pa. 2014).

Com. v. Hunter, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Lane, A. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Borgos-Leon, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Jamison, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(b) — 169 cases

Commonwealth v. Strafford, 194 A.3d 168 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018). “8 18 Pa.C.S. §3123. 9 18 Pa.C.S. §3126(a)(7).”

C.C.H. v. Philadelphia Phillies, Inc., 940 A.2d 336 (Pa. 2008). “§ 3126(a)(7), [8] and involuntary deviate sexual *343 intercourse with a child, 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(b), Appellants also note that some of these statutes impose harsher penalties when the victim is less than 13 years of age.”

Com. v. Bankes, A., 286 A.3d 1302 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2022). “3 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(a)(7). 4 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123(b).”

Commonwealth v. Fears, 836 A.2d 52 (Pa. 2003). “[3] 18 Pa.C.S. § 3123. [4] 18 Pa.C.S. § 5510.”

Commonwealth v. Tighe, 184 A.3d 560 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(c) — 3 cases

Commonwealth v. Kerrigan, 920 A.2d 190 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2007).

Com. v. Graham, P. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015).

Commonwealth v. Kerrigan, 76 Pa. D. & C.4th 457 (2005).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(d) — 1 case

Com. v. Davey, A., 2025 Pa. Super. 220 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(d)(1) — 4 cases

Com. v. Davey, A., 2025 Pa. Super. 220 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

Com. v. Elder, T. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).

Com. v. Elder, T. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).

Com. v. Williams, S. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(d)(l) — 1 case

Com. v. Watkins, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2025).

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3123(e) — 1 case

People v. Gutierrez, 932 N.E.2d 139 (Ill. App. Ct. 2010).

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