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protection order, increase
by 2 levels.
(4) If the offense resulted in (A) substantial disruption of public,
§2A6.1 GUIDELINES MANUAL November 1, 2005
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governmental, or business functions or services; or (B) a substantial
expenditure of funds to clean up, decontaminate, or otherwise respond to
the offense, increase by 4 levels.
(5) If (A) subsection (a)(2) and subdivisions (1), (2), (3), and (4) do not
apply, and (B) the offense involved a single instance evidencing little or
no deliberation, decrease by 4 levels.
Commentary
Statutory Provisions: 18 U.S.C. §§ 32(c), 35(b), 871, 876, 877, 878(a), 879, 1993(a)(7), (8),
2332b(a)(2); 47 U.S.C. § 223(a)(1)(C)-(E); 49 U.S.C. § 46507. For additional statutory provision(s),
see Appendix A (Statutory Index).
Application Notes:
1. Scope of Conduct to Be Considered.— In determining whether subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and
(b)(3) apply, the court shall consider both conduct that occurred prior to the offense and
conduct that occurred during the offense; however, conduct that occurred prior to the offense
must be substantially and directly connected to the offense, under the facts of the case taken as
a whole. For example, if the defendant engaged in several acts of mailing threatening letters
to the same victim over a period of years (including acts that occurred prior to the offense),
then for purposes of determining whether subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(3) apply, the court
shall consider only those prior acts of threatening the victim that have a substantial and direct
connection to the offense.
2. Grouping.—For purposes of Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts), multiple counts
involving making a threatening or harassing communication to the same victim are grouped
together under §3D1.2 (Groups of Closely Related Counts). Multiple counts involving different
victims are not to be grouped under §3D1.2.
3. Departure Provisions.—
(A) In General.—The Commission recognizes that offenses covered by this guideline may
include a particularly wide range of conduct and that it is not possible to include all of
the potentially relevant circumstances in the offense level. Factors not incorporated in
the guideline may be considered by the court in determining whether a departure from
the guidelines is warranted. See Chapter Five, Part K (Departures).
(B) Multiple Threats or Victims.—If the offense involved substantially more than two
threatening communications to the same victim or a prolonged period of making
harassing communications to the same victim, or if the offense involved multiple victims,
an upward departure may be warranted.
Background: These statutes cover a wide range of conduct, the seriousness of which depends upon
the defendant’s intent and the likelihood that the defendant would carry out the threat. The specific
offense characteristics are intended to distinguish such cases.
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §2A6.2
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Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1993 (see Appendix C, amendment 480); November 1,
1997 (see Appendix C, amendment 549); November 1, 2002 (see Appendix C, amendment 637).
§2A6.2. Stalking or Domestic Violence
(a) Base Offense Level: 18
(b) Specific Offense Characteristic
(1) If the offense involved one of the following aggravating factors: (A) the
violation of a court protection order; (B) bodily injury; (C) possession, or
threatened use, of a dangerous weapon; or (D) a pattern of activity
involving stalking, threatening, harassing, or assaulting the same victim,
increase by 2 levels. If the offense involved more than one of these
aggravating factors, increase by 4 levels.
(c) Cross Reference
(1) If the offense involved the commission of another criminal offense, apply
the offense guideline from Chapter Two, Part A (Offenses Against the
Person) most applicable to that other criminal offense, if the resulting
offense level is greater than that determined above.
Commentary
Statutory Provisions: 18 U.S.C. §§ 2261-2262.
Application Notes:
1. For purposes of this guideline:
"Bodily injury" and "dangerous weapon" are defined in the Commentary to §1B1.1
(Application Instructions).
"Pattern of activity involving stalking, threatening, harassing, or assaulting the same victim"
means any combination of two or more separate instances of stalking, threatening, harassing,
or assaulting the same victim, whether or not such conduct resulted in a conviction. For
example, a single instance of stalking accompanied by a separate instance of threatening,
harassing, or assaulting the same victim constitutes a pattern of activity for purposes of this
guideline.
"Stalking" means (A) traveling with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another
person and, in the course of, or as a result of, such travel, placing the person in reasonable fear
of death or serious bodily injury to that person or an immediate family member of that person;
or (B) using the mail or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce to engage in a course of
conduct that places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to,
that person or an immediate family member of that person. See 18 U.S.C. § 2261A. "Immediate
family member" (A) has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. § 115(c)(2); and (B) includes
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a spouse or intimate partner. "Course of conduct" and "spouse or intimate partner" have the
meaning given those terms in 18 U.S.C. § 2266(2) and (7), respectively.
2. Subsection (b)(1) provides for a two-level or four-level enhancement based on the degree to
which the offense involved aggravating factors listed in that subsection. If the offense involved
aggravating factors more serious than the factors listed in subsection (b)(1), the cross reference
in subsection (c) most likely will apply, if the resulting offense level is greater, because the more
serious conduct will be covered by another offense guideline from Chapter Two, Part A. For
example, §2A2.2 (Aggravated Assault) most likely would apply pursuant to subsection (c) if the
offense involved assaultive conduct in which injury more serious than bodily injury occurred
or if a dangerous weapon was used rather than merely possessed.
3. In determining whether subsection (b)(1)(D) applies, the court shall consider, under the totality
of the circumstances, any conduct that occurred prior to or during the offense; however,
conduct that occurred prior to the offense must be substantially and directly connected to the
offense. For example, if a defendant engaged in several acts of stalking the same victim over
a period of years (including acts that occurred prior to the offense), then for purposes of
determining whether subsection (b)(1)(D) applies, the court shall look to the totality of the
circumstances, considering only those prior acts of stalking the victim that have a substantial
and direct connection to the offense.
Prior convictions taken into account under subsection (b)(1)(D) are also counted for purposes
of determining criminal history points pursuant to Chapter Four, Part A (Criminal History).
4. For purposes of Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts), multiple counts involving stalking,
threatening, or harassing the same victim are grouped together (and with counts of other
offenses involving the same victim that are covered by this guideline) under §3D1.2 (Groups
of Closely Related Counts). For example, if the defendant is convicted of two counts of stalking
the defendant’s ex-spouse under 18 U.S.C. § 2261A and one count of interstate domestic
violence involving an assault of the ex-spouse under 18 U.S.C. § 2261, the stalking counts
would be grouped together with the interstate domestic violence count. This grouping
procedure avoids unwarranted "double counting" with the enhancement in subsection (b)(1)(D)
(for multiple acts of stalking, threatening, harassing, or assaulting the same victim) and
recognizes that the stalking and interstate domestic violence counts are sufficiently related to
warrant grouping.
Multiple counts that are cross referenced to another offense guideline pursuant to subsection
(c) are to be grouped together if §3D1.2 (Groups of Closely Related Counts) would require
grouping of those counts under that offense guideline. Similarly, multiple counts cross
referenced pursuant to subsection (c) are not to be grouped together if §3D1.2 would preclude
grouping of the counts under that offense guideline. For example, if the defendant is convicted
of multiple counts of threatening an ex-spouse in violation of a court protection order under
18 U.S.C. § 2262 and the counts are cross referenced to §2A6.1 (Threatening or Harassing
Communications), the counts would group together because Application Note 2 of §2A6.1
specifically requires grouping. In contrast, if the defendant is convicted of multiple counts of
assaulting the ex-spouse in violation of a court protection order under 18 U.S.C. § 2262 and
the counts are cross referenced to §2A2.2 (Aggravated Assault), the counts probably would not
group together inasmuch as §3D1.2(d) specifically precludes grouping of counts covered by
§2A2.2 and no other provision of §3D1.2 would likely apply to require grouping.
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §2A6.2
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Multiple counts involving different victims are not to be grouped under §3D1.2 (Groups of
Closely Related Counts).
5. If the defendant received an enhancement under subsection (b)(1) but that enhancement does
not adequately reflect the extent or seriousness of the conduct involved, an upward departure
may be warranted. For example, an upward departure may be warranted if the defendant
stalked the victim on many occasions over a prolonged period of time.
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1997 (see Appendix C, amendment 549). Amended effective November 1, 2001 (see Appendix
C, amendment 616).
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PART B - BASIC ECONOMIC OFFENSES
1. THEFT, EMBEZZLEMENT, RECEIPT OF STOLEN PROPERTY, PROPERTY
DESTRUCTION, AND OFFENSES INVOLVING FRAUD OR DECEIT
Introductory Commentary
These sections address basic forms of property offenses: theft, embezzlement, fraud, forgery,
counterfeiting (other than offenses involving altered or counterfeit bearer obligations of the United
States), insider trading, transactions in stolen goods, and simple property damage or destruction.
(Arson is dealt with separately in Chapter Two, Part K (Offenses Involving Public Safety)). These
guidelines apply to offenses prosecuted under a wide variety of federal statutes, as well as offenses
that arise under the Assimilative Crimes Act.
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1989 (see Appendix C, amendment 303); November 1,
2001 (see Appendix C, amendment 617).
§2B1.1. Larceny, Embezzlement, and Other Forms of Theft; Offenses Involving Stolen
Property; Property Damage or Destruction; Fraud and Deceit; Forgery; Offenses
Involving Altered or Counterfeit Instruments Other than Counterfeit Bearer
Obligations of the United States
(a) Base Offense Level:
(1) 7, if (A) the defendant was convicted of an offense referenced to this
guideline; and (B) that offense of conviction has a statutory maximum
term of imprisonment of 20 years or more; or
(2) 6, otherwise.
(b) Specific Offense Characteristics
(1) If the loss exceeded $5,000, increase the offense level as follows:
Loss (Apply the Greatest) Increase in Level
(A) $5,000 or less no increase
(B) More than $5,000 add 2
(C) More than $10,000 add 4
(D) More than $30,000 add 6
(E) More than $70,000 add 8
(F) More than $120,000 add 10
(G) More than $200,000 add 12
(H) More than $400,000 add 14
(I) More than $1,000,000 add 16
(J) More than $2,500,000 add 18
(K) More than $7,000,000 add 20
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §2B1.1
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(L) More than $20,000,000 add 22
(M) More than $50,000,000 add 24
(N) More than $100,000,000 add 26
(O) More than $200,000,000 add 28
(P) More than $400,000,000 add 30.
(2) (Apply the greatest) If the offense—
(A) (i) involved 10 or more victims; or (ii) was committed through
mass-marketing, increase by 2 levels;
(B) involved 50 or more victims, increase by 4 levels; or
(C) involved 250 or more victims, increase by 6 levels.
(3) If the offense involved a theft from the person of another, increase by 2
levels.
(4) If the offense involved receiving stolen property, and the defendant was
a person in the business of receiving and selling stolen property, increase
by 2 levels.
(5) If the offense involved misappropriation of a trade secret and the
defendant knew or intended that the offense would benefit a foreign
government, foreign instrumentality, or foreign agent, increase by 2
levels.
(6) If the offense involved theft of, damage to, or destruction of, property
from a national cemetery, increase by 2 levels.
(7) If (A) the defendant was convicted of an offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1037;
and (B) the offense involved obtaining electronic mail addresses through
improper means, increase by 2 levels.
(8) If the offense involved (A) a misrepresentation that the defendant was
acting on behalf of a charitable, educational, religious, or political
organization, or a government agency; (B) a misrepresentation or other
fraudulent action during the course of a bankruptcy proceeding; (C) a
violation of any prior, specific judicial or administrative order, injunction,
decree, or process not addressed elsewhere in the guidelines; or (D) a
misrepresentation to a consumer in connection with obtaining, providing,
or furnishing financial assistance for an institution of higher education,
increase by 2 levels. If the resulting offense level is less than level 10,
increase to level 10.
(9) If (A) the defendant relocated, or participated in relocating, a fraudulent
scheme to another jurisdiction to evade law enforcement or regulatory
officials; (B) a substantial part of a fraudulent scheme was committed
from outside the United States; or (C) the offense otherwise involved
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sophisticated means, increase by 2 levels. If the resulting offense level
is less than level 12, increase to level 12.
(10) If the offense involved (A) the possession or use of any (i) device-making
equipment, or (ii) authentication feature; (B) the production or trafficking
of any (i) unauthorized access device or counterfeit access device, or (ii)
authentication feature; or (C)(i) the unauthorized transfer or use of any
means of identification unlawfully to produce or obtain any other means
of identification, or (ii) the possession of 5 or more means of
identification that unlawfully were produced from, or obtained by the use
of, another means of identification, increase by 2 levels. If the resulting
offense level is less than level 12, increase to level 12.
(11) If the offense involved an organized scheme to steal vehicles or vehicle
parts, and the offense level is less than level 14, increase to level 14.
(12) If the offense involved (A) the conscious or reckless risk of death or
serious bodily injury; or (B) possession of a dangerous weapon (including
a firearm) in connection with the offense, increase by 2 levels. If the
resulting offense level is less than level 14, increase to level 14.
(13) (Apply the greater) If—
(A) the defendant derived more than $1,000,000 in gross receipts
from one or more financial institutions as a result of the offense,
increase by 2 levels; or
(B) the offense (i) substantially jeopardized the safety and soundness
of a financial institution; (ii) substantially endangered the
solvency or financial security of an organization that, at any time
during the offense, (I) was a publicly traded company; or (II) had
1,000 or more employees; or (iii) substantially endangered the
solvency or financial security of 100 or more victims, increase by
4 levels.
(C) The cumulative adjustments from application of both subsections
(b)(2) and (b)(12)(B) shall not exceed 8 levels, except as
provided in subdivision (D).
(D) If the resulting offense level determined under subdivision (A) or
(B) is less than level 24, increase to level 24.
(14) (A) (Apply the greatest) If the defendant was convicted of an offense
under:
(i) 18 U.S.C. § 1030, and the offense involved (I) a
computer system used to maintain or operate a critical
infrastructure, or used by or for a government entity in
furtherance of the administration of justice, national
defense, or national security; or (II) an intent to obtain
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §2B1.1
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personal information, increase by 2 levels.
(ii) 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(5)(A)(i), increase by 4 levels.
(iii) 18 U.S.C. § 1030, and the offense caused a substantial
disruption of a critical infrastructure, increase by 6 levels.
(B) If subdivision (A)(iii) applies, and the offense level is less than
level 24, increase to level 24.
(15) If the offense involved—
(A) a violation of securities law and, at the time of the offense, the
defendant was (i) an officer or a director of a publicly traded
company; (ii) a registered broker or dealer, or
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