Increasing and creating penalties sexual offenses

HB 2199 amends West Virginia's sexual offense statutes to increase penalties for certain crimes and create new offenses. It raises the minimum prison sentence for sexual assault involving victims under 12 (from 15 to 35 years) and adds a new offense called "sexual extortion," which criminalizes threatening to share intimate recordings or images to coerce sexual acts. The bill also modifies sentencing ranges for existing offenses like sexual assault in the second and third degrees, with penalties including fines up to $25,000 and prison terms of 10-60 years. These changes directly affect individuals convicted of sexual offenses under the revised statutes.