Sexual assault is generally forced sexual intercourse, sodomy, or other sexual penetration of another person—against the person’s will and without the person’s consent. And although precise definitions and punishments vary from state to state, the criminal offense of aggravated sexual assault of a child includes the aggravating circumstance of the victim being a child under a certain age, as defined by the statute—which increases the severity of the crime.

In Nevada, sexual assault is defined under NRS 200.366 as the act of subjecting another person to sexual penetration, or forcing another person to make a sexual penetration on himself or herself or another, against the victim's will, or under conditions in which the perpetrator knows or should know that the victim is mentally or physically incapable of resisting or understanding the nature of the conduct. Aggravated sexual assault typically involves additional factors that increase the severity of the offense, such as the use of a weapon, causing serious bodily injury, or the victim being a child. Specifically, when the victim is a child under the age of 16, the crime is treated with increased severity under Nevada law. The penalties for sexual assault in Nevada are severe and can include life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole only after a minimum of 10 years has been served, depending on the circumstances and the age of the victim. If the victim is under 14 years of age, the punishment can be life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.