Can You Still Be Charged With Harboring a Runaway After She Reaches the Age of 18
My question involves juvenile law in the State of: Pennsylvania & Kentucky
I have a few questions, all related to the same thing. For all intents and purposes, I'll be 18 for this post. Even though I am not yet, it'll make it easier because the situation I'm questioning about may happen when I am 18.
I'm 18, and there is someone very close to me, who is 17, this person is a female. As you can gather, because all teenagers are crazy, reckless, and out-of-their-mind (and reality) in love, this person is my girlfriend. - Biting sarcasm (Details may be considered irrelevant, don't read them if you don't want to. They just offer some context to the situation)
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I won't give many personal details except for that she has been living with her step mom, the dictator of the house, siblings, and her father. She's had a tough life thus far and has honestly been really lucky that she's made it as far as she has. She can't take it anymore though, in the past year and almost a half of our relationship, her step mom has done uncountable controlling and crazy things. All the while,
...her step mom and her dad are battling to keep my girlfriend and her three siblings from her biological mother, who is, with no exaggeration, 100 times worse than her step mom. I include this to void any comments such as, "Call CPS" or whatever variation there may be of that comment. Calling CPS will only worsen the situation, and would essentially be pointless because she is almost 18 as well.
Anyways, onto the question.
Let's say my girlfriend were to run away, within a 6 months of her 18th birthday, across state borders (from PA to Ohio, then to KY); on her own (supposedly), and find shelter with someone in KY. What would happen? Her parents would call and file a missing persons report, no doubt. Due to her being across two states (albeit this being unbeknownst to anyone), would anyone come looking for her? I mean in a major way. Her location wouldn't be known by anyone, would anyone come looking for her that far? Then, let's say, she were to come back shortly after turning 18. Would anything happen to her?
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Short version:
- Would someone be punished for running away across two state lines, if they came back after turning 18?
Here's another way this situation could go down.
Let's say the person she's staying with is me. However, nobody knew this. It's been planned out so it can look like she did in fact run away, and I wouldn't appear to be involved at all. What are the penalties of bringing a run away across state lines (I know it is a felony, but how many years would one be looking at?) Another question in this situation; What are the penalties of harboring a run away in Kentucky? Are there any extra clauses or additions to those penalties if the run away came from another state?
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Short version:
- What are the number of years harboring a run away can get you in Kentucky? If the run away came across state lines (if any)?
- How many years can you get from taking a run away across state lines?
All of this hypothetical, currently her situation is terrible, and if it isn't better or at least getting better by the time she's 17 and a half, this is what we're going to resort to. None of it is set in stone.
Re: Punishment for Coming Back from Running Away After Turning 18/Related
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All of this hypothetical
We don't do hypotheticals here.
17 1/2 is not the same as 18. The law will not recognize her as "close enough", so if you take her/encourage her to go across state lines, you're committing a FEDERAL crime, even if it's only one day before she turns 18.
Don't be a damned fool.
Re: Punishment for Coming Back from Running Away After Turning 18/Related
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LawResearcherMissy
We don't do hypotheticals here.
Fair enough
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LawResearcherMissy
17 1/2 is not the same as 18. The law will not recognize her as "close enough", so if you take her/encourage her to go across state lines, you're committing a FEDERAL crime, even if it's only one day before she turns 18.
I never said it did matter, or even implied it (or at the least, I didn't try to)
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LawResearcherMissy
Don't be a damned fool.
Whether or not I choose to be a damned fool does not answer any of my questions.
Re: Punishment for Coming Back from Running Away After Turning 18/Related
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Whether or not I choose to be a damned fool does not answer any of my questions.
What part of "We don't do hypotheticals here" is eluding you?
We are not about to assist you in cooking up some cock and bull scheme to help you help your girlfriend "run away". I repeat: don't be a damned fool.
Re: Can You Still Be Charged With Harboring a Runaway After She Reaches the Age of 18
Yes they can be charged with harboring a runaway even though the runaway turns 18 before they are caught. You specifically would also likely be charged with a violation of the Mann Act. Once you have a permanent record, because you cannot keep it in your pants, you will also likely have major problems getting a job. She will then dump you and find a man without a criminal record that can provide for her financially.
Re: Can You Still Be Charged With Harboring a Runaway After She Reaches the Age of 18
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Disagreeable
Yes they can be charged with harboring a runaway even though the runaway turns 18 before they are caught. You specifically would also likely be charged with a violation of the Mann Act. Once you have a permanent record, because you cannot keep it in your pants, you will also likely have major problems getting a job. She will then dump you and find a man without a criminal record that can provide for her financially.
I'm not sure the Mann Act would apply. 1) The guy would not be transporting the girl. The girl would be transporting herself. 2) The age of consent in both Pennsylvania and Kentucky is 16. These two states have the same law.
Re: Can You Still Be Charged With Harboring a Runaway After She Reaches the Age of 18
In response to the question that is the title of this thread: YES.