Statutes—FBI
Jurisdiction
Title 18, United States Code, Section 659
Theft from Interstate Shipment (TFIS) - makes it a
federal offense to embezzle, steal or obtain by fraud
or deception from any conveyance, depot or terminal,
any shipment being transported in interstate or foreign
commerce. The statute also prohibits the "fencing" of
such stolen property.
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951
Interference with Commerce by Threats of Violence (Hobbs
Act) - prohibits the obstruction of any article or
commodity in interstate commerce by robbery or extortion,
or the commission or threat of physical violence.
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1961
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO)
- any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping,
gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing
in obscene matter, or dealing in a controlled substance
or listed chemical (as defined in Section 102 of
the Controlled Substances Act), which is chargeable
under state law and punishable by imprisonment for
more than one year.
Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2314 and 2315
Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property (ITSP)
- prohibit the transportation in interstate or foreign
commerce of any goods of the value of $5,000 or more
where the goods are known to have been stolen, converted
or taken by fraud. These statutes also prohibit the
receipt and sale of such known stolen goods.
Prosecutive guidelines are established by the United
States Attorney in each federal judicial district.
