In most states it is a criminal offense (statutory rape) to have sexual intercourse with a person under the age of consent—which is usually between 16 and 18 years of age. These laws are premised on the belief that a person under the age of consent is not capable of giving informed consent to sexual intercourse—even if the person was a willing participant.

Statutory rape may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor offense or as a felony offense—depending on the state’s laws and the ages and circumstances of the sexual activity. Statutory rape laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

But many states recognize a defense to such a criminal offense if the persons engaged in the sexual activity were close in age—within three years, for example—provided the persons were at least 14 years of age, for example. These laws are sometimes called Romeo-and-Juliet laws, and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Missouri, the age of consent is 17 years old, which means that it is considered statutory rape to engage in sexual intercourse with someone under that age. Missouri law recognizes statutory rape as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances, such as the age difference between the parties and whether force or coercion was involved. Missouri does have a close-in-age exemption, commonly known as a 'Romeo and Juliet' law, which allows for consensual sexual activity between parties who are close in age. Specifically, if one party is under the age of 21 and the other is age 14 or older, then the older party may be exempt from statutory rape charges. These laws are codified in Missouri's criminal statutes. An attorney can provide more detailed information about these laws and any recent changes that may affect them.