Section 566.151

There are multiple enactments of 566.151

Title XXXVIII CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS

Chapter 566

Effective - 28 Aug 2026, 5 histories, see footnote   

  566.151.  Grooming or enticement of a child, penalties — citation as Evie and Sophie's law — statewide council to issue guidance. — 1.  This section shall be known and may be cited as "Evie and Sophie's Law".

  2.  For purposes of this section, "minor" means a person under eighteen years of age.

  3.  A person commits the offense of grooming or enticement of a minor if, being more than four years older than a minor, he or she knowingly, by any means or through any pattern of conduct, attempts to persuade, solicit, coax, entice, or lure or persuades, solicits, coaxes, entices, or lures such minor with the intent to prepare, condition, manipulate, or otherwise cause such minor to engage in sexual conduct, a sexual performance, or a commercial sex act.

  4.  It is not a defense to a prosecution for a violation of this section that the person believed to be a minor was a peace officer masquerading as a minor.

  5.  Grooming or enticement of a minor is a felony for which the authorized term of imprisonment shall be not less than five years and not more than thirty years, unless the grooming or enticement results in the minor engaging in sexual conduct, a sexual performance, or a commercial sex act, in which case the minimum authorized term of imprisonment shall be not less than ten years.  No person convicted and sentenced to the department of corrections under this section shall be eligible for parole or conditional release for a period of five calendar years, unless the grooming or enticement results in the minor engaging in sexual conduct, a sexual performance, or a commercial sex act, in which case the person shall not be eligible for parole, probation, conditional release, or suspended imposition or execution of sentence for a period of ten calendar years.  Upon conviction, the punishment imposed under this subsection shall be in addition and consecutive to any punishment provided by law for any crime committed as a result of the offense committed under this section.

  6.  Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 557.011, 558.019, and 559.021 to the contrary, a person found guilty of violating this section shall be ordered by the sentencing court to pay restitution to the victim of the offense.  The minimum restitution ordered by the court for such victim shall be in the amount determined by the court necessary to compensate the victim for the mental and physical rehabilitation of the victim, any lost income or educational disruption, or relocation or housing assistance for the victim.

  7.  The committee within the statewide council established under section 210.1505 shall issue guidance for:

  (1)  The public on identifying and recognizing actions constituting grooming or enticement of a minor, responding to potential instances of grooming of a minor, and treatment of and services for victims of grooming; and

  (2)  Procedures and training for professionals on the investigating and prosecuting of perpetrators of the offense of grooming or enticement of a minor.

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(L. 2002 S.B. 969, et al., A.L. 2006 H.B. 1698, et al., A.L. 2014 S.B. 491, A.L. 2025 S.B. 43, A.L. 2026 H.B. 2273, et al.)