Preventing Trafficking of Minors Act of 2026

This bill significantly amends section 2422 of title 18, United States Code, which addresses coercion and enticement. Its primary purpose is to broaden the scope of prohibited activities related to commercial sex acts involving individuals under 18 years of age. Specifically, the legislation criminalizes engaging in, soliciting, offering to patronize, or paying for a commercial sex act with a minor, as well as entering a place with the intent to do so. A key aspect of this amendment is the removal of several potential defenses for offenders. It explicitly states that knowledge of the victim's age is not a defense, meaning perpetrators cannot claim they did not know the victim was a minor. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that proof of force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion is not required for prosecution if the victim is a minor. It also specifies that law enforcement involvement, such as an undercover officer posing as a minor, cannot be used as a defense. The bill also strengthens penalties for these offenses, increasing the minimum imprisonment to 10 years, or 15 years if the minor is under 14 years of age, with the possibility of life imprisonment. The legislation defines key terms such as "commercial sex act," "minor," and "sex act" to ensure clarity in its application. This Act will take effect 180 days after enactment and includes a severability clause.