Virginia criminal charge

How accessories after the fact punished in Virginia

Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session

How accessories after the fact punished is a criminal offense under Virginia law, defined by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19. Its classification is not fixed: Virginia assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19.

What is the penalty for how accessories after the fact punished in Virginia?

Penalties for How accessories after the fact punished
Penalty	Range	Basis	Authority
Jail / prison	1 years to 5 years (Accessory after the fact - homicide offense punishable as Class 1 or 2 felony — Applies when the underlying felony is a homicide offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 felony.; or, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both (§ 18.2-10(f)))	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10
Fine	up to $2,500 (Accessory after the fact - homicide offense punishable as Class 1 or 2 felony — Applies when the underlying felony is a homicide offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 felony.; with the jail-confinement alternative under § 18.2-10(f))	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10
Jail / prison	up to 12 months (Accessory after the fact - any other felony — Applies when the underlying felony is any felony other than a homicide offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 felony.)	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11
Fine	up to $2,500 (Accessory after the fact - any other felony — Applies when the underlying felony is any felony other than a homicide offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 felony.; either or both with confinement (§ 18.2-11(a)))	discretionary	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11

Applies to current.

How is how accessories after the fact punished classified in Virginia?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for How accessories after the fact punished
Variant	Classification	When it applies	Statute
Accessory after the fact - homicide offense punishable as Class 1 or 2 felony	Class 6 Felony	Applies when the underlying felony is a homicide offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 felony.	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19undefined
Accessory after the fact - any other felony	Class 1 Misdemeanor	Applies when the underlying felony is any felony other than a homicide offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 felony.	Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19undefined

Common questions about how accessories after the fact punished in Virginia

Is how accessories after the fact punished a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: how accessories after the fact punished ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19.

Accessory after the fact - homicide offense punishable as Class 1 or 2 felony: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19) · Accessory after the fact - any other felony: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19)

What are the penalties for how accessories after the fact punished in Virginia?

Penalties for how accessories after the fact punished in Virginia depend on how it is classified — from a class 1 misdemeanor up to a class 6 felony — with the ranges set by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 and Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Virginia statute covers how accessories after the fact punished?

How accessories after the fact punished is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-19 (How accessories after the fact punished; certain exceptions).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.