{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "penal", "section": "235.21", "citation": "Penal Law § 235.21", "heading": "Disseminating indecent material to minors in the second degree", "text": ["§ 235.21 Disseminating indecent material to minors in the second degree.", "A person is guilty of disseminating indecent material to minors in the second degree when:", "1.  With knowledge of its character and content, he sells or loans to a minor for monetary consideration:", "(a)  Any picture, photograph, drawing, sculpture, motion picture film, or similar visual representation or image of a person or portion of the human body which depicts nudity, sexual conduct or sado-masochistic abuse and which is harmful to minors; or", "(b)  Any book, pamphlet, magazine, printed matter however reproduced, or sound recording which contains any matter enumerated in paragraph (a) hereof, or explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual excitement, sexual conduct or sado-masochistic abuse and which, taken as a whole, is harmful to minors; or", "2.  Knowing the character and content of a motion picture, show or other presentation which, in whole or in part, depicts nudity, sexual conduct or sado-masochistic abuse, and which is harmful to minors, he:", "(a)  Exhibits such motion picture, show or other presentation to a minor for a monetary consideration; or", "(b)  Sells to a minor an admission ticket or pass to premises whereon there is exhibited or to be exhibited such motion picture, show or other presentation; or", "(c)  Admits a minor for a monetary consideration to premises whereon there is exhibited or to be exhibited such motion picture show or other presentation; or", "3. Knowing the character and content of the communication which, in whole or in part, depicts actual or simulated nudity, sexual conduct or sado-masochistic abuse, and which is harmful to minors, he intentionally uses any computer communication system allowing the input, output, examination or transfer, of computer data or computer programs from one computer to another, to initiate or engage in such communication with a person who is a minor.", "Disseminating indecent material to minors in the second degree is a class E felony."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/235.21", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "A person commits second-degree disseminating indecent material to minors when:\n- **(1)** knowing its character and content, the person **sells or loans to a minor for money**: (a) any picture, photo, drawing, sculpture, film, or similar visual image depicting **nudity, sexual conduct, or sado-masochistic abuse** that is harmful to minors; or (b) any book, magazine, printed matter, or sound recording containing such images or **explicit and detailed verbal descriptions** of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, or sado-masochistic abuse that, taken as a whole, is harmful to minors;\n- **(2)** knowing the character and content of a film, show, or presentation that depicts nudity, sexual conduct, or sado-masochistic abuse and is harmful to minors, the person (a) **exhibits it to a minor for money**, (b) **sells a minor an admission ticket or pass** to premises where it is or will be shown, or (c) **admits a minor for money** to such premises; or\n- **(3)** knowing the character and content of a communication that depicts actual or simulated nudity, sexual conduct, or sado-masochistic abuse and is harmful to minors, the person **intentionally uses a computer communication system to initiate or engage in that communication with a minor**. ★\nThe offense is a **class E felony**.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/penal/235.21", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}