# Justice Manual § 8-3.400: Prosecution of Customers Involved in Federal Sex Trafficking Offenses

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.400

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 8-3.400
- **Heading:** Prosecution of Customers Involved in Federal Sex Trafficking Offenses
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 8: Civil Rights / 8-3.000 - Enforcement Of Civil Rights Criminal Statutes / Justice Manual § 8-3.400

## Text

It is the policy of the Department of Justice to reduce demand for sex trafficking by prosecuting those who engage in commercial sex with victims of sex trafficking, in addition to those who otherwise perpetrate or facilitate human trafficking offenses, in accordance with the Principles of Federal Prosecution (
Justice Manual 9-27.000
).  Such prosecutions can be brought under a variety of federal statutes, including 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a) (which provides a penalty for those who, among other things, recruit, entice, obtain, patronize, or solicit an individual for commercial sex, knowing or in reckless disregard that the individual is a victim of sex trafficking); 18 U.S.C. § 2251 (criminalizing the production of child sexual abuse material); and 18 U.S.C. §§ 2421-2423 (criminalizing travel, transportation, and enticement or coercion of victims to engage in prostitution).

[added December 2020]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 8-3.010 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.100 Coordination of Activities](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.120 Staffing Cases](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.120.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.130 Cases of National Interest](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.130.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.135 High Profile Civil Rights Incident](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.135.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.140 Advance Notice/Prior Approvals of Indictments](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.140.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.141 Certification Provisions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.141.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.150 Declinations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.150.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.160 Appeals](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.160.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.170 Cooperation with State Prosecutions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.170.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.180 Subpoenas Issued to FBI Agents or Other Federal Agents](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.180.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.190 Notification to Parties of Closing File](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.190.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.195 Production or Disclosure in Federal And State Proceedings of Material or Information in Civil Rights Division Files](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.195.md)
- [Justice Manual § 8-3.200 Prior Approvals](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.200.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S8-3.400. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.