18-U.S.C.-1658

§1658 – Plunder of Distressed Vessel

Pathway

Title 18 > Part I > Chapter 81 > Section 1658

Details

• Reference: Section 1658
• Legend: §1658 – Plunder of Distressed Vessel
• USCode Year: 2013

Provision Content

(a) Whoever plunders, steals, or destroys any money, goods, merchandise, or other effects from or belonging to any vessel in distress, or wrecked, lost, stranded, or cast away, upon the sea, or upon any reef, shoal, bank, or rocks of the sea, or in any other place within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

(b) Whoever willfully obstructs the escape of any person endeavoring to save his life from such vessel, or the wreck thereof; or

Whoever holds out or shows any false light, or extinguishes any true light, with intent to bring any vessel sailing upon the sea into danger or distress or shipwreck—

Shall be imprisoned not less than ten years and may be imprisoned for life.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 775; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §488 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §297, 35 Stat. 1146).

Mandatory punishment provision in subsection (a) was rephrased in the alternative.

Minor changes were made in phraseology.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted fined under this title for fined not more than $5,000.

U.S. Encyclopedia of Law Coverage

18-U.S.C.-1622 in the Legal Encyclopedia: Criminal Law

In this entry about 18-U.S.C.-1622, find legal reference material, bibliographies and premiere content related to criminal law in the American Encyclopedia of Law, presenting a comprehensive view of the United States criminal law-specific issues, written by authorities in the field.

18-U.S.C.-1591 in the Legal Encyclopedia: Crimes

In this entry about 18-U.S.C.-1591, find legal reference material, bibliographies and premiere content related to crimes in the American Encyclopedia of Law, presenting a comprehensive view of the United States crimes-specific issues, written by authorities in the field.

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