LorienLlewellyn
Statutory rape is when an adult has consensual sex with someone who the law still considers to be a child. It's basically one of the many ways that we try to keep young people safe from predators.
But it's not like the police want to waste their time and throw a guy in jail if he's one day older than the legal limit and sleeping with his girlfriend who's one day younger than the limit. So many states have a law saying that it isn't statutory rape unless there is also at least a four year age difference between the two people. Other states don't have that law but will still only get involved with young couples if someone thinks the relationship is somehow unhealthy and decided to call the police.
I think there's an article about this case in the guild, but if not, there was a case within the last couple of years about a couple of teens... I don't remember all the details, but the guy was only a year or something older than the girl, but he got thrown into jail and/or was labeled a sex offender. Something really stupid. And it was with a small age difference.