text: It depends quite a bit on the state. To give you an example though, here's the law in CA: rape is punihsable by 3, 6, or 8 years in prison. Rape of a child under 14 years old who is 10 or more years younger than the accused is punihsable by 15 years to life. Molestation is punishable by not more than one year in jail or 2, 3, or 4 years in prison. There are not separate repeat offender punihsments, aside from the 3 strikes law.