Costa Rica: Criminal Penalties
While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States, and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.
Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Costa Rican law, even unknowingly, may be arrested, imprisoned, fined and/or expelled.
Soliciting the services of a minor for sexual purposes is illegal in Costa Rica, and is punishable by imprisonment. The Costa Rican government has established an aggressive program to discourage sexual tourism and to punish severely those who engage in sexual activity with minors. Several U.S. citizens are serving long sentences in Costa Rica following conviction of crimes related to sexual activity with minors. These acts are also illegal under U.S. law, even if the act takes place abroad.
Under the PROTECT Act of April 2003, it is a crime, prosecutable in the United States, for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien, to engage in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18, whether or not the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident alien intended to engage in such illicit sexual conduct prior to going abroad. For purposes of the PROTECT Act, illicit sexual conduct includes any commercial sex act in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18. The law defines a commercial sex act as any sex act, on account of which anything of value is given to or received by a person under the age of 18.
Article Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html
Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Costa Rican law, even unknowingly, may be arrested, imprisoned, fined and/or expelled.
Soliciting the services of a minor for sexual purposes is illegal in Costa Rica, and is punishable by imprisonment. The Costa Rican government has established an aggressive program to discourage sexual tourism and to punish severely those who engage in sexual activity with minors. Several U.S. citizens are serving long sentences in Costa Rica following conviction of crimes related to sexual activity with minors. These acts are also illegal under U.S. law, even if the act takes place abroad.
Under the PROTECT Act of April 2003, it is a crime, prosecutable in the United States, for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien, to engage in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18, whether or not the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident alien intended to engage in such illicit sexual conduct prior to going abroad. For purposes of the PROTECT Act, illicit sexual conduct includes any commercial sex act in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18. The law defines a commercial sex act as any sex act, on account of which anything of value is given to or received by a person under the age of 18.
Article Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1093.html
posted by Christian Gomez at 9:02 AM
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