573.024. Enabling sexual exploitation of a minor, offense of — penalty.
Allowing Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in Missouri
This law makes it a crime to let sexual exploitation or child pornography happen, even if you didn’t do it yourself, when you should have known and stopped it.
1. You commit enabling sexual exploitation of a minor if you are criminally negligent and you allow any of these crimes to happen:
- Sexual assault of a child (section 566.210 or 566.211);
- Promoting obscenity to minors (section 573.020);
- Making child pornography (section 573.023 or 573.025);
- Other related sexual exploitation crimes (sections 573.030, 573.035, 573.200, or 573.205).
2. This offense is a Class E felony for the first time and a Class C felony for any repeat offense.
3. If you are a business owner or manager and your place is used for these crimes, the court will:
- Close your business location for up to one year on the first offense;
- Permanently close it on the second offense.
“Business” includes places like hotels or massage parlors, and “owner’s agent” means anyone in charge of running the location.
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