
The United States Sentencing Commission is an independent agency in the judicial branch composed of seven voting and two non-voting, ex officio members. Its principal purpose is to establish sentencing policies and practicem ths for the federal criminal justice system at will assure the ends of justice by promulgating detailed guidelines prescribing the appropriate sentences for offenders convicted of federal crimes.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION, AUTHORITY, AND GENERAL APPLICATION PRINCIPLES ...........................1
Part A ― Introduction and Authority..................................................................................1
1. Original Introduction to the Guidelines Manual ..................................................1
2. Continuing Evolution and Role of the Guidelines...............................................13
3. Authority.......................................................................................................................16
Part B ― General Application Principles .........................................................................17
CHAPTER TWO OFFENSE CONDUCT.................................................................................................................................. 50
Part A ― Offenses Against the Person..............................................................................50
1. Homicide .......................................................................................................................50
2. Assault...........................................................................................................................53
3. Criminal Sexual Abuse and Offenses Related to Registration as a Sex Offender ........................................................................................................59
4. Kidnapping, Abduction, or Unlawful Restraint...................................................72
5. Air Piracy and Offenses Against Mass Transportation Systems.....................75
6. Threatening or Harassing Communications, Hoaxes, Stalking, and Domestic Violence...............................................................................................77 Part B ― Basic Economic Offenses.....................................................................................82
1. Theft, Embezzlement, Receipt of Stolen Property, Property Destruction, and Offenses Involving Fraud or Deceit .......................................82
2. Burglary and Trespass ............................................................................................111
3. Robbery, Extortion, and Blackmail ......................................................................115
4. Commercial Bribery and Kickbacks .....................................................................121
5. Counterfeiting and Infringement of Copyright or Trademark.......................124
6. Motor Vehicle Identification Numbers ..........................................................130
Part C ― Offenses Involving Public Officials and Violations of Federal Election Campaign Laws ............................................................................131
Part D ― Offenses Involving Drugs and Narco-Terrorism .........................................142
1. Unlawful Manufacturing, Importing, Exporting, Trafficking, or Possession; Continuing Criminal Enterprise.....................................................142
2. Unlawful Possession................................................................................................. 189
3. Regulatory Violations ..............................................................................................191
Part E ― Offenses Involving Criminal Enterprises and Racketeering ...................193
1. Racketeering ..............................................................................................................193
2. Extortionate Extension of Credit..........................................................................196
3. Gambling.....................................................................................................................197
4. Trafficking in Contraband Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco .....................199
5. Labor Racketeering ..................................................................................................199
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Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2021) Part F ― [Deleted]................................................................................................................203
Part G ― Offenses Involving Commercial Sex Acts, Sexual Exploitation of Minors, and Obscenity ...................................................................204
1. Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct........................204
2. Sexual Exploitation of a Minor..............................................................................211
3. Obscenity ....................................................................................................................221
Part H ― Offenses Involving Individual Rights............................................................225
1. Civil Rights ...............................................................................................................225
2. Political Rights ..........................................................................................................227
3. Privacy and Eavesdropping ....................................................................................228
4. Peonage, Involuntary Servitude, Slave Trade, and Child Soldiers ............................23
1 Part I ― [Not Used]..............................................................................................................233
Part J ― Offenses Involving the Administration Of Justice......................................234
Part K ― Offenses Involving Public Safety....................................................................243
1. Explosives and Arson ...............................................................................................243
2. Firearms ......................................................................................................................250
3. Mailing Injurious Articles ......................................................................................263
Part L ― Offenses Involving Immigration, Naturalization, and Passports .......................................................................................................................265
1. Immigration................................................................................................................265
2. Naturalization and Passports ................................................................................273
Part M ― Offenses Involving National Defense and Weapons of Mass Destruction....................................................................................................................278
1. Treason ........................................................................................................................278
2. Sabotage ......................................................................................................................278
3. Espionage and Related Offenses ...........................................................................279
4. Evasion of Military Service ....................................................................................284
5. Prohibited Financial Transactions and Exports, and Providing Material Support to Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations .....................285
6. Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons and Materials, and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction....................................................................288
Part N ― Offenses Involving Food, Drugs, Agricultural Products, Consumer Products, and Odometer Laws ..............................................................292
1. Tampering with Consumer Products....................................................................292
2. Food, Drugs, Agricultural Products, and Consumer Products...........................294
3. Odometer Laws and Regulations...........................................................................295
Part O ― [Not Used] ............................................................................................................296
Part P ― Offenses Involving Prisons and Correctional Facilities ............................297
Part Q ― Offenses Involving the Environment.............................................................301
1. Environment...............................................................................................................301
2. Conservation and Wildlife ......................................................................................308
Part R ― Antitrust Offenses ..............................................................................................311
Part S ― Money Laundering and Monetary Transaction Reporting ........................315
TABLE OF CONTENTS Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2021)
║ v Part T ― Offenses Involving Taxation ............................................................................321
1. Income Taxes, Employment Taxes, Estate Taxes, Gift Taxes, and Excise Taxes (Other Than Alcohol, Tobacco, and Customs Taxes) ..........................................................................................................................321
2. Alcohol and Tobacco Taxes .....................................................................................330
3. Customs Taxes ...........................................................................................................331
4. Tax Table ....................................................................................................................333
Part U ― [Not Used] ............................................................................................................334
Part V ― [Not Used] ............................................................................................................334
Part W ― [Not Used] ...........................................................................................................334
Part X ― Other Offenses.....................................................................................................335
1. Conspiracies, Attempts, Solicitations ..................................................................335
2. Aiding and Abetting ................................................................................................. 338
3. Accessory After the Fact .........................................................................................338
4. Misprision of Felony................................................................................................. 339
5. All Other Felony Offenses and Class A Misdemeanors ................................... 340
6. Offenses Involving Use of a Minor in a Crime of Violence .............................342
7. Offenses Involving Border Tunnels and Submersible and Semi-Submersible Vessels ......................................................................................343
Part Y ― [Not Used] ............................................................................................................344
Part Z ― [Not Used].............................................................................................................344
CHAPTER THREE ADJUSTMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 345
Part A ― Victim-Related Adjustments ............................................................................345
Part B ― Role in the Offense .............................................................................................351
Part C ― Obstruction and Related Adjustments ..........................................................359
Part D ― Multiple Counts ..................................................................................................364
Part E ― Acceptance of Responsibility............................................................................376
CHAPTER FOUR CRIMINAL HISTORY AND CRIMINAL LIVELIHOOD............................................................. 379
Part A ― Criminal History...................................................................................................379
Part B ― Career Offenders and Criminal Livelihood ...................................................395
CHAPTER FIVE DETERMINING THE SENTENCE ............................................................................................... 406
Part A ― Sentencing Table ................................................................................................406
Part B ― Probation ..............................................................................................................409
Part C ― Imprisonment ......................................................................................................418
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Part D ― Supervised Release ............................................................................................424
Part E ― Restitution, Fines, Assessments, Forfeitures ..............................................435
Part F ― Sentencing Options ............................................................................................443
Part G ― Implementing the Total Sentence of Imprisonment ..................................449
Part H ― Specific Offender Characteristics...................................................................458
Part I ― [Not Used]..............................................................................................................465
Part J ― Relief From Disability........................................................................................466
Part K ― Departures ...........................................................................................................467
1. Substantial Assistance to Authorities ................................................................. 467
2. Other Grounds for Departure ................................................................................468
3. Early Disposition Programs ...................................................................................486
CHAPTER SIX SENTENCING PROCEDURES, PLEA AGREEMENTS, AND CRIME VICTIMS’ RIGHTS ..... 487
Part A ― Sentencing Procedures ......................................................................................487
Part B ― Plea Agreements ................................................................................................. 491
CHAPTER SEVEN VIOLATIONS OF PROBATION AND SUPERVISED RELEASE............................................... 496
Part A ― Introduction to Chapter Seven........................................................................496
Part B ― Probation and Supervised Release Violations .............................................501
CHAPTER EIGHT SENTENCING OF ORGANIZATIONS ..................................................................................... 509
Part A ― General Application Principles .......................................................................510
Part B ― Remedying Harm from Criminal Conduct, and Effective Compliance and Ethics Program..............................................................................514
1. Remedying Harm from Criminal Conduct ..........................................................514
2. Effective Compliance and Ethics Program .........................................................517
Part C ― Fines ......................................................................................................................523
1. Determining the Fine ― Criminal Purpose Organizations .............................523
2. Determining the Fine ― Other Organizations ...................................................523
3. Implementing the Sentence of a Fine ..................................................................540
4. Departures from the Guideline Fine Range .......................................................542
Part D ― Organizational Probation .................................................................................547
Part E ― Special Assessments, Forfeitures, and Costs...............................................551
Part F ― Violations of Probation ― Organizations ......................................................553
Individuals engaged in the process of establishing sentencing of crimes to include judges at all levels of juridiction, and attorneys representing those who may be sentenced due to the enactment of crime.
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