§ 1708. Theft or receipt of stolen mail matter generally
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Whoever steals, takes, or abstracts, or by fraud or deception obtains, or attempts so to obtain, from or out of any mail, post office, or station thereof, letter box, mail receptacle, or any mail route or other authorized depository for mail matter, or from a letter or mail carrier, any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or abstracts or removes from any such letter, package, bag, or mail, any article or thing contained therein, or secretes, embezzles, or destroys any such letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or any article or thing contained therein; or
Whoever steals, takes, or abstracts, or by fraud or deception obtains any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or any article or thing contained therein which has been left for collection upon or adjacent to a collection box or other authorized depository of mail matter; or
Whoever buys, receives, or conceals, or unlawfully has in his possession, any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or any article or thing contained therein, which has been so stolen, taken, embezzled, or abstracted, as herein described, knowing the same to have been stolen, taken, embezzled, or abstracted—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 779; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 39, 63 Stat. 95; July 1, 1952, ch. 535, 66 Stat. 314; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision Notes
1948 Act
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 317, 321 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §§ 194, 198, 35 Stat. 1125, 1126; May 18, 1916, ch. 126, § 10, 39 Stat. 162; July 28, 1916, ch. 261, § 1, 39 Stat. 418; Feb. 25, 1925, ch. 318, 43 Stat. 977; May 7, 1934, ch. 220, § 1, 48 Stat. 667; Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 693, 49 Stat. 867; Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 557, 53 Stat. 1256).
Each of these two sections has been divided. Provisions relating to theft or larceny of mail were placed in this section.
Words “letter box, mail receptacle, or any mail route” are from section 321 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Such receptacles are authorized depositaries. (See Rosen v. United States, N.Y. 1917, 38 S.Ct. 148, 245 U.S. 467, 62 L.Ed. 406, and Foster v. Biddle, C.C.A. Kan. 1926, 14 F.2d 280, involving indictment under section 317 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed.) No cases are reported of prosecutions for mail theft under section 321 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., which relates primarily to malicious mischief respecting letter boxes.
Language omitted from section 317 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., and all of section 321 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., except that above quoted, was incorporated in sections 1702 and 1705 of this title.
Words “or aids in buying, receiving, or concealing” were omitted as unnecessary in view of the definition of principal in section 2 of this title.
The smaller penalty for an offense involving $100 or less was added. (See sections 641 and 645 of this title.)
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
1949 Act
This section [section 39] corrects a typographical error in section 1708 of title 18, U.S.C.
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Cited by 5 sections
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- NoticesNotice of (A) proposed temporary, emergency amendments to sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary; (B) proposed permanent, non-emergency amendments to sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary
- Presidential DocumentsNotice of: (A) promulgation of temporary, emergency amendments, effective May 1, 2001, for (1) offenses involving the manufacture, importation, exportation, or trafficking of “Ecstasy”; (2) offenses involving the manufacture, importation, or trafficking of amphetamine; (3) offenses involving the trafficking of certain List I chemicals that are used in the manufacture of methamphetamine; and (4) offenses involving peonage and human trafficking; and (B) submission to Congress of additional non-emergency amendments to the sentencing guidelines, effective November 1, 2001
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25 references not yet in our index
- June 25, 1948, ch. 645
- 62 Stat. 779
- May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 39
- 63 Stat. 95
- July 1, 1952, ch. 535
- 66 Stat. 314
- Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(I)
- 108 Stat. 2147
- Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321
- 35 Stat. 1125
- May 18, 1916, ch. 126, § 10
- 39 Stat. 162
- July 28, 1916, ch. 261, § 1
- 39 Stat. 418
- Feb. 25, 1925, ch. 318
- 43 Stat. 977
- May 7, 1934, ch. 220, § 1
- 48 Stat. 667
- Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 693
- 49 Stat. 867
- Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 557
- 53 Stat. 1256
- section 321 of title 18
- section 317 of title 18
- Pub. L. 103–322
Citation graph
cites case law
§ 1708
Theft or receipt of stolen mail matter generally
Fed. Reg.×3
U.S.C.×2
ActJune 25, 1948, ch. 645
Stat.62 Stat. 779
ActMay 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 39
Stat.63 Stat. 95
ActJuly 1, 1952, ch. 535
Cites 27 · showing 7Cited by 5 across 2 sources