Sentencing Commissions Guidelines Manual 2021

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 practices for the federal criminal justice system that 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

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS vi ║ Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2021)

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.