Over the years, Congress has enacted more than
3,000 federal criminal statutes. The FBI, as the
national government's only general purpose
investigative agency, can use most of these laws
in its daily enforcement activities. While in any
year the FBI will cite many hundreds of these
laws as the central charge, the overwhelming
majority of the bureau cases are brought under
only a few dozen of them.
A person who is charged with criminal offenses
as a result of an FBI investigation rarely is
accused of violating only a single law. A drug
dealer, for example, might be charged under
separate laws concerning the illegal distribution
of drugs, money laundering and racketeering.
Similarly, a crooked city employee might be
charged with fraud against the government, mail
fraud and criminal tax violations.
Another peculiarity regarding the FBI and the
law is that many federal statutes mirror local
ones. This means, for example, that FBI cases
involving such subjects as bank robbery, gangs,
kidnapping and drug dealing could also be brought
by local authorities. One result of this
situation is that every time the FBI involves
itself in a matter that could be handled by city
or state police, it has less time for matters
that are better addressed at the federal level
such as national security and the criminal
violations of large corporations.
During the Justice Department's data collection
process, assistant United States attorneys across
the country are asked to select the "lead charge"
against each of the defendants they prosecute.
Obviously, the judgement about which law will be
cited as the lead charge is somewhat subjective
when multiple serious violations are involved. In
addition, such judgements sometimes may be
influenced by the political needs of the moment:
an administration, for example, that wants to
show the public it is deeply concerned about the
hot subject of the year such as organized crime
or threats to the nation's security.
Here then, as viewed through the lens of federal
prosecutors across the country, are the statutes
most frequently cited as being the "lead charge"
in the referrals coming from the FBI. The laws
are presented in the order of their statute
numbers. The complete text of these frequently
cited statutes can be viewed by selecting the
particular law of interest in the following
table.
 | U.S. Code | | Description |
| 08 USC 01324 | | Bringing in and harboring certain aliens |
| 08 USC 01326 | | Reentry of deported alien |
| 15 USC 00078j | | Use/employ any manipulative/deceptive device/ in contravention |
| 15 USC 00080 | | Investment Companies and Advisers Penalties |
| 17 USC 00506 | | Copyright infringement - Criminal offenses |
| 18 USC 00002 | | Aiding and Abetting |
| 18 USC 00003 | | Accessory after the fact |
| 18 USC 00081 | | Arson in special maritime and territorial jurisdic |
| 18 USC 00111 | | Assaulting, resisting, impeding certain officers |
| 18 USC 00113 | | Assaults within maritime and territorial jurisdictions |
| 18 USC 00115 | | Influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a Federal official |
| 18 USC 00152 | | Concealment of assets; false oaths and claims; etc |
| 18 USC 00201 | | Bribery of public officials and witnesses |
| 18 USC 00231 | | Civil Disorders |
| 18 USC 00241 | | Conspiracy against rights |
| 18 USC 00242 | | Deprivation of rights under color of law |
| 18 USC 00247 | | Damage to religious prop; obstruct religious excer |
| 18 USC 00248 | | Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrance |
| 18 USC 00249 | | Hate crime acts |
| 18 USC 00371 | | Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US |
| 18 USC 00641 | | Public money, property or records |
| 18 USC 00656 | | Theft/embezzlement/misapplication by bank off, emp |
| 18 USC 00659 | | Interstate or foreign shipments by carriers |
| 18 USC 00666 | | Theft or bribery in programs receiving Fed funds |
| 18 USC 00794 | | Gathering/delivering defense info to aid frgn govt |
| 18 USC 00844 | | Explosives - Importation and storage of explosives |
| 18 USC 00846 | | Explosives - Additional powers of the Secretary |
| 18 USC 00875 | | Interstate Communications |
| 18 USC 00876 | | Mailing threatening communications |
| 18 USC 00922 | | Firearms; Unlawful acts |
| 18 USC 00924 | | Firearms; Penalties |
| 18 USC 01001 | | Fraud/false statements or entries generally |
| 18 USC 01014 | | Fraud - Loan and credit applications etc |
| 18 USC 01028 | | Fraud and related activity - id documents |
| 18 USC 01029 | | Fraud and related activity - access devices |
| 18 USC 01030 | | Fraud and related activity - computers |
| 18 USC 01038 | | False Information and Hoaxes |
| 18 USC 01073 | | Flight to Avoid Prosecution or Giving Testimony |
| 18 USC 01111 | | Murder |
| 18 USC 01112 | | Manslaughter |
| 18 USC 01114 | | Protection of officers and employees of US |
| 18 USC 01153 | | Offenses committed within Indian country |
| 18 USC 01163 | | Embezzlement and theft from Indian Tribal organiza |
| 18 USC 01201 | | Kidnaping |
| 18 USC 01203 | | Kidnapping - Hostage taking |
| 18 USC 01341 | | Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles |
| 18 USC 01343 | | Fraud by wire, radio, or television |
| 18 USC 01344 | | Bank Fraud |
| 18 USC 01347 | | Health Care Fraud |
| 18 USC 01349 | | Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy |
| 18 USC 01470 | | Transfer of obscene materials to minors |
| 18 USC 01503 | | Influencing or injuring officer or juror generally |
| 18 USC 01512 | | Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant |
| 18 USC 01513 | | Retaliating against a witness, victim or informant |
| 18 USC 01591 | | Sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion |
| 18 USC 01752 | | Temporary residence and office of President, etc. |
| 18 USC 01791 | | Providing or possessing contraband in prison |
| 18 USC 01832 | | Theft of trade secrets |
| 18 USC 01951 | | Hobbs Act |
| 18 USC 01956 | | Laundering of monetary instruments |
| 18 USC 01957 | | Monetary transactions w/property from unlawful act |
| 18 USC 01958 | | Interstate commerce facilities - murder for hire |
| 18 USC 01959 | | Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity |
| 18 USC 01960 | | Prohibition of illegal money transmitting business |
| 18 USC 01961 | | RICO - definitions |
| 18 USC 01962 | | RICO - prohibited activities |
| 18 USC 02101 | | Riots |
| 18 USC 02111 | | Robbery/burglary - Special jurisdiction |
| 18 USC 02113 | | Bank robbery and incidental crimes |
| 18 USC 02118 | | Robberies/burglaries w/controlled substances |
| 18 USC 02119 | | Carjacking |
| 18 USC 02241 | | Aggravated sexual abuse |
| 18 USC 02242 | | Sexual abuse |
| 18 USC 02243 | | Sexual abuse of a minor or ward |
| 18 USC 02244 | | Abusive sexual contact |
| 18 USC 02250 | | Fail to register as sex offender after traveling interstate commerce |
| 18 USC 02251 | | Sexual exploitation of children |
| 18 USC 02252 | | Material involving sexual exploitation of minors |
| 18 USC 02252A | | Activity relating material constituting/containing chil |
| 18 USC 02261 | | Interstate domestic violence |
| 18 USC 02261A | | Stalking |
| 18 USC 02314 | | Transportation of stolen goods, etc |
| 18 USC 02332 | | Terrorism - Criminal penalties |
| 18 USC 02339B | | Provide material support to foreign terrorist orgs |
| 18 USC 02422 | | Transport for sex - Coercion and enticement |
| 18 USC 02423 | | Transportation of minors for sexual activity |
| 21 USC 00841 | | Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A |
| 21 USC 00843 | | Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts C |
| 21 USC 00846 | | Attempt and conspiracy |
| 21 USC 00856 | | Establishment for manufacturing operations |
| 21 USC 00963 | | Attempt and conspiracy |
| 26 USC 05861 | | Tax on Making Firearms - Prohibited acts |
| 46 USC 70503 | | Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US |
| 46 USC 70506 | | Penalties |
| 49 USC 46314 | | Entering aircraft or airport area in violation of security |
| 49 USC 46504 | | Interference with flight crew members and attendants |
| 49 USC 46506 | | Application of Criminal Laws to Acts on Aircraft |
| 50 USC 01705 | | International Emergency Economic Powers |