Utah statute

Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-311 — Human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor.

Current through 2026 General Session

Part of Part 3: Kidnapping, Trafficking, And Smuggling, Utah Code.

Criminal charges under this statute

Human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor

Full text of Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-311

Statutory text current through the 2026 General Session. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Utah.

Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-311Primary source, current through the 2026 General Session

(1)(a) As used in this section: (1)(a)(i) "Commercial sexual act" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-5-308.1. (1)(a)(ii) "Commercial sexually explicit performance" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-5-308.1. (1)(a)(iii) "Extortion" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-5-308. (1)(a)(iv) "Fraud" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-5-308. (1)(a)(v) "Vulnerable adult" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-5-111. (1)(b) Terms defined in Section 76-1-101.5 apply to this section. (2) An actor commits human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor if: (2)(a) the actor enlists, harbors, transports, obtains, or uses a vulnerable adult for the purpose of procuring or using the vulnerable adult's labor through the use of force, fraud, or coercion of either the vulnerable adult or an individual who has the ability to control the actions of the vulnerable adult; (2)(b) the labor described in Subsection (2)(a) is not a commercial sexual act or a commercial sexually explicit performance; (2)(c) the actor's use of force, fraud, or coercion described in Subsection (2)(a) involves: (2)(c)(i) causing, or threatening to cause, serious harm to the vulnerable adult or another individual; (2)(c)(ii) physically restraining, or threatening to physically restrain, the vulnerable adult or another individual; (2)(c)(iii) destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or unlawfully possessing a passport, immigration document, or other government-issued identification document; (2)(c)(iv) using, or threatening to use, the legal process in an unlawful manner against the vulnerable adult or another individual; (2)(c)(v) kidnapping, or threatening to kidnap, the vulnerable adult or another individual; (2)(c)(vi) extortion of the vulnerable adult or another individual; (2)(c)(vii) facilitating or controlling the vulnerable adult's access to a controlled substance; or (2)(c)(viii) creating or exploiting a circumstance under which: (2)(c)(viii)(A) the vulnerable adult, or an individual who has the ability to control the actions of the vulnerable adult, is unable to terminate the employment relationship; or (2)(c)(viii)(B) the vulnerable adult is unlawfully forced to remain in a condition of servitude; and (2)(d) the actor knows, is reckless, or is criminally negligent as to whether, the vulnerable adult described in Subsection (2)(a) is a vulnerable adult. (3)(a) A violation of Subsection (2) in which the violation of Subsections (2)(a) and (c) is done knowingly is a first degree felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years and which may be for life. (3)(b) A violation of Subsection (2) in which the violation of Subsections (2)(a) and (c) is done recklessly is a second degree felony. (4) An offense committed under this section is a separate offense from any other offense committed in relationship to the commission of an offense under this section.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor a felony or a misdemeanor in Utah?

It depends on the circumstances: human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor ranges from a Second Degree Felony to a First Degree Felony in Utah under Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-311.

Human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor — knowing violation: First Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-311(3)(a)) · Human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor — reckless violation: Second Degree Felony (Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-311(3)(b))

Which Utah statute covers human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor?

Human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor is governed by Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-311 (Human trafficking of a vulnerable adult for labor).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.