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Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477 — Prisoner escaping from jail; how punished

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 7: Escape of, Communications with and Deliveries to Prisoners, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
If any person confined in jail or in custody after conviction of a criminal offense shall escape by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, he shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony. The term of confinement under this section shall commence from the expiration of the former sentence.

Official sources

Questions this section answers

Is escapes from juvenile facility a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: escapes from juvenile facility ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1.

Escape from secure facility by force or violence: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1B) · Escape from secure facility without force or violence: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.1B)

Is prisoner escaping from jail a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

Prisoner escaping from jail is a class 6 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477.

Which Virginia statute covers prisoner escaping from jail?

Prisoner escaping from jail is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-477 (Prisoner escaping from jail; how punished).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.