Interstate Age of Consent

[throwaway account]

Jurisdiction

US Federal Law

Me (16) and a girl (15) met online a while back and have been talking ever since. We officially started dating and of course started having intimate conversations. These conversations never continued to either parties sending "nudes" or any form of explicit photos or media. The problem here is that I live in Florida (age of consent being 18) but she lives in New Hampshire (age of consent being 16). I am wondering if this type of relationship would be illegal due to me being the age of consent in her state while she is under it, or if this would fall under federal law where it is legal due to me being within 4 years of her age. We don't have plans of travelling for sexual reasons. My main concern would be if this would be considered enticement of a minor since I am over the legal age of consent in her state.

 

[zddoodah]

Me (16) and a girl (15) met online a while back and have been talking ever since. We officially started dating

You might want to define "dating" given that you've apparently never met in person, much less been on a date.

and of course started having intimate conversations.

"Of course"?

The problem here is that I live in Florida (age of consent being 18) but she lives in New Hampshire (age of consent being 16). I am wondering if this type of relationship would be illegal due to me being the age of consent in her state while she is under it, or if this would fall under federal law where it is legal due to me being within 4 years of her age.

For starters, given your statement that you "don't have plans of travelling for sexual reasons" (something which your and her parents would hopefully never permit), what do you mean by "this type of relationship"?

Second, I'm unsure what "federal law" you're referring to, but I assume you're talking about 18 U.S.C. section 2243(a), which criminalizes "engag[ing] in a sexual act" with a person between 12 and 16 and who is at least four years younger, but that law only applies "in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the head of any Federal department or agency."

My main concern would be if this would be considered enticement of a minor since I am over the legal age of consent in her state.

Enticement to do what?

P.S. Any reason you can't find a girl in your area to actually date?

 

[throwaway account]

1. Dating as in being in a romantic relationship (talking all the time, supporting each other, overall everything a long distance relationship would have)

2. Of course was bad wording, just read that without the of course I guess?

3. Being in a relationship with someone under the age of consent in their jurisdiction and talking in a sexual manner.

4. I could be wrong but I believe that Florida and New Hampshire are within the territorial jurisdiction of the US. But yes that was what i was referring to.

5. Enticement I meant as talking in a sexual way, wasn't really thinking of the definition when I said that.

6. Its not that I was looking for a long distance relationship, it just kinda happened and unless it's illegal or we have problems I'm not just going to drop her for a local relationship.

 

[cbg]

No one on this site is going to give you permission to have sex with a minor. And I strongly recommend that you research a little thing called the Mann Act if you think that Federal law is going to give you permission either.

I will say this once. NO law, Federal or state, in any state, gives one half of a damn who you exchange emails with (as long as those emails do not contain any nude photos, sexual conversation or other sexual commentary); who you take out for a meal or attend a school function with or hang out with at the mall. If the minor's parents give you permission, and there is no physical activity that you could not conduct on the front pew of the church on Christmas morning with her parents sitting in the pew behind, the law has better things to do than chaperone you.

But the minute sex, which is NOT limited to intercourse, enters the picture, the law cares a lot. So keep your electronic conversation to language and photos she could show to her parents, and keep your hands in your pockets and your pants zipped if you're ever in the same room with her, and everything will be fine.