Va. Code » Title 18.2. Crimes and Offenses Generally » Chapter 8. Crimes Involving Morals and Decency » Article 3. Commercial Sex Trafficking, Prostitution, Etc.
Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-359 (2026)

Venue for criminal sexual assault or where any person transported for criminal sexual assault, attempted criminal sexual assault, or purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, crimes against nature, and indecent liberties with children; venue for such crimes when coupled with a violent felony

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A. Any person transporting or attempting to transport through or across the Commonwealth any person for the purposes of unlawful sexual intercourse, anal intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anilingus or prostitution, or for the purpose of committing any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or for the purposes of committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4, may be presented, indicted, tried, and convicted in any county or city in which any part of such transportation occurred.

B. Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 may be had in the county or city in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant prior to the commission of such offense.

C. Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 against a person under 18 years of age may be had in the county or city in which such crime is alleged to have occurred or, when the county or city where the offense is alleged to have occurred cannot be determined, then in the county or city where the person under 18 years of age resided at the time of the offense.

D. Venue for the trial of any person charged with committing or attempting to commit (i) any crime specified in § 18.2-361, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, or criminal sexual assault under Article 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 and (ii) any violent felony as defined in § 17.1-805 or any act of violence as defined in § 19.2-297.1 arising out of the same incident, occurrence, or transaction may be had in the county or city in which any such crime is alleged to have occurred or, with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth in the county or city in which the crime is alleged to have occurred, in any county or city through which the victim was transported by the defendant in the commission of such offense.

Code 1950, § 18.1-210; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1976, c. 54; 1978, c. 610; 1981, c. 397; 2004, c. 869; 2011, c. 763; 2014, c. 794; 2015, c. 555.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 1993–2019 · leading case: Robert McKinley Blankenship v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 823 S.E.2d 1 (Va. Ct. App. 2019).
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Robert McKinley Blankenship v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 823 S.E.2d 1 (Va. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “9 (allowing child to testify by two-way closed-circuit television in certain circumstances). In his brief, appellant contends that Code § 18.”
Vanegas v. Commonwealth, 438 S.E.2d 289 (Va. Ct. App. 1993). · cites it 8× “See Code § 18.2-359(A). We have examined the record and find that the evidence is insufficient to prove that the victim was alive when transported to Norfolk.”
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-359(A): 1 case
Vanegas v. Commonwealth, 438 S.E.2d 289 (Va. Ct. App. 1993). “See Code § 18.2-359(A). We have examined the record and find that the evidence is insufficient to prove that the victim was alive when transported to Norfolk.”
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-359(B): 1 case
Vanegas v. Commonwealth, 438 S.E.2d 289 (Va. Ct. App. 1993). “See Code § 18.2-359(A). We have examined the record and find that the evidence is insufficient to prove that the victim was alive when transported to Norfolk.”
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-359(D): 1 case
Robert McKinley Blankenship v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 823 S.E.2d 1 (Va. Ct. App. 2019). “9 (allowing child to testify by two-way closed-circuit television in certain circumstances). In his brief, appellant contends that Code § 18.”
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