§ 44 — Coercion of child under eighteen into criminal conspiracy; penalties

Section 44. Whoever commits an assault and battery on a child under the age of eighteen for the purpose of causing or coercing such child to join or participate in a criminal conspiracy in violation of section seven of chapter two hundred and seventy-four, including but not limited to a criminal street gang or other organization of three or more persons which has a common name, identifying sign or symbol and whose members individually or collectively engage in criminal activity, shall, for the first offense, be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than three nor more than five years or by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than two and one-half years; and for a second or subsequent offense by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than five nor more than ten years.