South Carolina § 16-3-2040 - Restitution for victims of trafficking.

§ 16-3-2040. Restitution for victims of trafficking.

(A) An offender convicted of a violation of this article must be ordered to pay mandatory restitution to the victim as provided in this section.

(B) If the victim of trafficking dies as a result of being trafficked, a surviving spouse of the victim is eligible for restitution. If no surviving spouse exists, restitution must be paid to the victim's issue or their descendants per stirpes. If no surviving spouse or issue or descendants exist, restitution must be paid to the victim's estate. A person named in this subsection may not receive funds from restitution if he benefited or engaged in conduct described in this article.

(C) If a person is unable to pay restitution at the time of sentencing, or at any other time, the court may set restitution pursuant to Section 16-3-1270.

(D) Restitution for this section, pursuant to Section 16-3-1270, means payment for all injuries, specific losses, and expenses, including, but not limited to, attorney's fees, sustained by a crime victim resulting from an offender's criminal conduct pursuant to Section 16-3-1110(12)(a). In addition, the court may order an amount representing the value of the victim's labor or services.

(E) Notwithstanding another provision of law, the applicable statute of limitations for a victim of trafficking in persons is pursuant to Section 16-3-1110(12)(a).

(F) Restitution must be paid to the victim promptly upon the conviction of the defendant. The return of the victim to his home country or other absence of the victim from the jurisdiction does not prevent the victim from receiving restitution.

HISTORY: 2012 Act No. 258, SECTION 1, eff December 15, 2012; 2015 Act No. 74 (S.183), SECTION 3, eff June 8, 2015.

Effect of Amendment

2015 Act No. 74, SECTION 3, in (D), inserted ", including, but not limited to, attorney's fees,", and added the last sentence.