Legislation which will strengthen penalties for adults who prey on minors, sponsored by Arizona State Representative Quang Nguyen, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has been signed into law.
HB2114 upgrades the penalty for adults over the age of 21 who engage in sexual conduct with a minor aged 15 to 17, increasing the offense from a class 6 felony to a class 4 felony when the offender is more than five years older than the victim. The new law also mandates a minimum one-year jail sentence if the offender is granted probation.
“Adults who target vulnerable teenagers for sex deserve real consequences—not leniency,” said Nguyen. “This law protects minors and makes it absolutely clear that Arizona will not tolerate this deviant predatory behavior. If you’re an adult who thinks it’s acceptable to exploit a 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old, you’re going to face serious prison time.”
The bill received broad bipartisan support in both chambers and is now part of Arizona’s statute.
The new law takes effect on the general effective date later this year.