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The FBI and Federal Criminal Statutes 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.
Click on Statute to View Text 
U.S. Code Description 08 USC 01326 Reentry of deported alien 15 USC 00001 Trusts, etc., in restraint of trade illegal; penal 15 USC 00078j Use/employ any manipulative/deceptive device/ in contravention 18 USC 00003 Accessory after the fact 18 USC 00004 Misprision of Felony 18 USC 00032 Destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities 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 00157 Bankruptcy Fraud 18 USC 00201 Bribery of public officials and witnesses 18 USC 00241 Conspiracy against rights 18 USC 00242 Deprivation of rights under color of law 18 USC 00371 Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 18 USC 00545 Smuggling goods into the United States 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 00751 Escape - Prisoners in custody 18 USC 00842 Explosives - Importation, manufacture, etc 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 00894 Collection of extensions of credit by extortionate 18 USC 00912 False personification - Officer or employee of US 18 USC 00922 Firearms; Unlawful acts 18 USC 00924 Firearms; Penalties 18 USC 01001 Fraud/false statements or entries generally 18 USC 01028 Fraud and related activity - id documents 18 USC 01028A Aggravated Identity Theft 18 USC 01029 Fraud and related activity - access devices 18 USC 01030 Fraud and related activity - computers 18 USC 01031 Making fraud against the United States 18 USC 01035 False claims relating to health care matters 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 01153 Offenses committed within Indian country 18 USC 01163 Embezzlement and theft from Indian Tribal organiza 18 USC 01168 Insider Theft of gaming establishments Indian land 18 USC 01201 Kidnaping 18 USC 01341 Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 18 USC 01343 Fraud by wire, radio, or television 18 USC 01344 Bank Fraud 18 USC 01346 Scheme or artifice to defraud 18 USC 01347 Health Care Fraud 18 USC 01348 Securities Fraud 18 USC 01349 Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 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 01543 Forgery or false use of passport 18 USC 01589 Forced Labor 18 USC 01590 Trafficking w/respect to slavery 18 USC 01591 Sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion 18 USC 01594 Attempted Forced Labor 18 USC 01623 False declarations before grand jury or court 18 USC 01791 Providing or possessing contraband in prison 18 USC 01831 Economic Espionage 18 USC 01951 Hobbs Act 18 USC 01952 Racketeering -interstate/foreign travel/transport 18 USC 01955 Prohibition of illegal gambling businesses 18 USC 01956 Laundering of monetary instruments 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 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 02199 Stowaways on vessels or aircraft 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 02260 Child exploitation 18 USC 02261 Interstate domestic violence 18 USC 02261A Stalking 18 USC 02312 Transportation of stolen vehicles 18 USC 02314 Transportation of stolen goods, etc 18 USC 02339 Harboring or Concealing Terrorists 18 USC 02339B Provide material support to foreign terrorist orgs 18 USC 02342 Trafficking in contraband cigarettes Unlawful acts 18 USC 02421 Transportation for illegal sexual activity and related crimes 18 USC 02422 Transport for sex - Coercion and enticement 18 USC 02423 Transportation of minors for sexual activity 18 USC 03048 Commitment to another district; removal--Rule 40 18 USC 03146 Penalty for failure to appear 18 USC 03583 Term of supervised release after imprisonment 18 USC 03665 Firearms possessed by convicted felons 21 USC 00841 Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts A 21 USC 00843 Drug Abuse Prevention & Control-Prohibited acts C 21 USC 00844 Penalty for simple possession 21 USC 00846 Attempt and conspiracy 21 USC 00856 Establishment for manufacturing operations 21 USC 00960 Prohibited acts A 21 USC 00963 Attempt and conspiracy 26 USC 05841 Registration of firearms 26 USC 05861 Tax on Making Firearms - Prohibited acts 26 USC 07201 Attempt to evade or defeat tax 26 USC 07206 Fraud and False statements 46 USC 70503 Possession control substance on vessel subject to jurisdiction of US 46 USC 70506 Penalties 49 USC 46504 Interference with flight crew members and attendants
