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CITE

    18 USC Sec. 876                                             01/05/2009

EXPCITE

    TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
    PART I - CRIMES
    CHAPTER 41 - EXTORTION AND THREATS

HEAD

    Sec. 876. Mailing threatening communications

STATUTE

      (a) Whoever knowingly deposits in any post office or authorized
    depository for mail matter, to be sent or delivered by the Postal
    Service or knowingly causes to be delivered by the Postal Service
    according to the direction thereon, any communication, with or
    without a name or designating mark subscribed thereto, addressed to
    any other person, and containing any demand or request for ransom
    or reward for the release of any kidnapped person, shall be fined
    under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
      (b) Whoever, with intent to extort from any person any money or
    other thing of value, so deposits, or causes to be delivered, as
    aforesaid, any communication containing any threat to kidnap any
    person or any threat to injure the person of the addressee or of
    another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more
    than twenty years, or both.
      (c) Whoever knowingly so deposits or causes to be delivered as
    aforesaid, any communication with or without a name or designating
    mark subscribed thereto, addressed to any other person and
    containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure
    the person of the addressee or of another, shall be fined under
    this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. If such
    a communication is addressed to a United States judge, a Federal
    law enforcement officer, or an official who is covered by section
    1114, the individual shall be fined under this title, imprisoned
    not more than 10 years, or both.
      (d) Whoever, with intent to extort from any person any money or
    other thing of value, knowingly so deposits or causes to be
    delivered, as aforesaid, any communication, with or without a name
    or designating mark subscribed thereto, addressed to any other
    person and containing any threat to injure the property or
    reputation of the addressee or of another, or the reputation of a
    deceased person, or any threat to accuse the addressee or any other
    person of a crime, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned
    not more than two years, or both. If such a communication is
    addressed to a United States judge, a Federal law enforcement
    officer, or an official who is covered by section 1114, the
    individual shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more
    than 10 years, or both.

SOURCE

    (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 741; Pub. L. 91-375, Sec.
    6(j)(7), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 777; Pub. L. 103-322, title
    XXXIII, Secs. 330016(1)(G), (H), (K), 330021(2), Sept. 13, 1994,
    108 Stat. 2147, 2150; Pub. L. 107-273, div. C, title I, Sec.
    11008(d), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1818.)

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

      Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 338a (July 8, 1932, ch.
    464, Sec. 1, 47 Stat. 649; June 28, 1935, ch. 326, 49 Stat. 427;
    May 15, 1939, ch. 133, Sec. 1, 53 Stat. 742).
      Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as
    unnecessary in view of definition of "principal" in section 2 of
    this title.
      Provisions as to district of trial were omitted as covered by
    sections 3237 and 3239 of this title.
      Changes in phraseology and arrangement were made.
                                AMENDMENTS
      2002 - Pub. L. 107-273 designated first to fourth pars. as
    subsecs. (a) to (d), respectively, and, in subsecs. (c) and (d),
    inserted at end "If such a communication is addressed to a United
    States judge, a Federal law enforcement officer, or an official who
    is covered by section 1114, the individual shall be fined under
    this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both."
      1994 - Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330021(2), substituted "kidnapped"
    for "kidnaped" in first par.
      Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(K), substituted "fined under this
    title" for "fined not more than $5,000" in first and second pars.
      Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(H), substituted "fined under this
    title" for "fined not more than $1,000" in third par.
      Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(G), substituted "fined under this
    title" for "fined not more than $500" in fourth par.
      1970 - Pub. L. 91-375 substituted "Postal Service" for "Post
    Office Department" in two places in first par.
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 91-375 effective within 1 year after Aug.
    12, 1970, on date established therefor by Board of Governors of
    United States Postal Service and published by it in Federal
    Register, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set out as an
    Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal
    Service.