18 U.S.C. § 2232 — Destruction or removal of property to pre-

Page 510 TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE § 2231 Sec. 2232. Destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure. 2233. Rescue of seized property. 2234. Authority exceeded in executing warrant. 2235. Search warrant procured maliciously. 2236. Searches without warrant. 2237. Criminal sanctions for failure to heave to, ob- struction of boarding, or providing false in- formation. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2006—Pub. L. 109–177, title III, § 303(b), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 234, added item 2237. § 2231. Assault or resistance (a) Whoever forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, prevents, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person authorized to serve or execute search warrants or to make searches and sei- zures while engaged in the performance of his duties with regard thereto or on account of the performance of such duties, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and— (b) Whoever, in committing any act in viola- tion of this section, uses any deadly or dan- gerous weapon, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 802; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), (L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 121, 253, 254, 628 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 65, 35 Stat. 1100; June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title XI, § 18, 40 Stat. 230; May 18, 1934, ch. 299, §§ 1, 2, 48 Stat. 780, 781; Feb. 8, 1936, ch. 40, 49 Stat. 1105; June 26, 1936, ch. 830, title I, § 3, 49 Stat. 1940; Reorg. Plan No. II, § 4(f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 Fed. Reg. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433; June 13, 1940, ch. 359, 54 Stat. 391). Section consolidates section 628 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., and the portion of section 121 of said title re- lating to resistance of persons authorized to make searches. Punishment provided by section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., was $2,000 fine and imprisonment for 1 year. Section 628 of said title was part of Espionage Act of June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title XIII, § 1, 40 Stat. 231, pre- scribing fine of not more than $1,000 and imprisonment not exceeding 2 years for resisting service, execution of search warrant, or assaulting an officer. Section 253 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., enumerated United States marshals, deputies, and assistants, Fed- eral Bureau of Investigation agents, and numerous other officers, the killing of whom is denounced as a Federal offense. Section 254 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., denounced the assaulting of such officers and prescribed punishment therefor without regard to nature of duties involved or performed. In other words sections 253 and 254 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., were not limited to officers executing search warrants. Officers enumerated in section 253 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., were substantially all those who serve or exe- cute search warrants. Therefore, the language and pun- ishment under section 254 of said title constitute basis of this revised section. No change in legislative intent is involved, as the amendments of sections 253 and 254 of said title are the latest enactments. The provisions of section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to rescue of property from seizing officer or its destruction to prevent seizure, are incorporated in sections 2232 and 2233 of this title. Minor changes were made in translation and phrase- ology. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(K), sub- stituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $5,000’’. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(L), substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $10,000’’. § 2232. Destruction or removal of property to pre- vent seizure (a) DESTRUCTION OR REMOVAL OF PROPERTY TO PREVENT SEIZURE.—Whoever, before, during, or after any search for or seizure of property by any person authorized to make such search or seizure, knowingly destroys, damages, wastes, disposes of, transfers, or otherwise takes any ac- tion, or knowingly attempts to destroy, damage, waste, dispose of, transfer, or otherwise take any action, for the purpose of preventing or im- pairing the Government’s lawful authority to take such property into its custody or control or to continue holding such property under its law- ful custody and control, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. (b) IMPAIRMENT OF IN REM JURISDICTION.—Who- ever, knowing that property is subject to the in rem jurisdiction of a United States court for purposes of civil forfeiture under Federal law, knowingly and without authority from that court, destroys, damages, wastes, disposes of, transfers, or otherwise takes any action, or knowingly attempts to destroy, damage, waste, dispose of, transfer, or otherwise take any ac- tion, for the purpose of impairing or defeating the court’s continuing in rem jurisdiction over the property, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. (c) NOTICE OF SEARCH OR EXECUTION OF SEI- ZURE WARRANT OR WARRANT OF ARREST IN REM.—Whoever, having knowledge that any per- son authorized to make searches and seizures, or to execute a seizure warrant or warrant of arrest in rem, in order to prevent the authorized seiz- ing or securing of any person or property, gives notice or attempts to give notice in advance of the search, seizure, or execution of a seizure warrant or warrant of arrest in rem, to any per- son shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. (d) NOTICE OF CERTAIN ELECTRONIC SURVEIL- LANCE.—Whoever, having knowledge that a Fed- eral investigative or law enforcement officer has been authorized or has applied for authorization under chapter 119 to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication, in order to obstruct, impede, or prevent such interception, gives no- tice or attempts to give notice of the possible interception to any person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (e) FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE.— Whoever, having knowledge that a Federal offi- cer has been authorized or has applied for au- thorization to conduct electronic surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.), in order to ob- Page 511 TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE § 2234 struct, impede, or prevent such activity, gives notice or attempts to give notice of the possible activity to any person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 802; Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 1103, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2143; Pub. L. 99–508, title I, § 109, Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1858; Pub. L. 99–646, § 33, Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3598; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7066, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4404; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 106–185, § 12, Apr. 25, 2000, 114 Stat. 218.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 121 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 65, 35 Stat. 1100). Section was formed from the words following the first semicolon and ending with the second semicolon, in section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. The remaining provisions of section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to assaulting, resisting, or interfering with customs officers, revenue officers, or other persons, and to the rescue of seized property, con- stitute, along with provisions from other sections, sec- tions 2231 and 2233 of this title. Minor changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, re- ferred to in subsec. (e), is Pub. L. 95–511, Oct. 25, 1978, 92 Stat. 1783, which is classified principally to chapter 36 (§ 1801 et seq.) of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1801 of Title 50 and Tables. AMENDMENTS 2000—Pub. L. 106–185 added subsecs. (a) to (c), redesig- nated first and second pars. of former subsec. (c) as sub- secs. (d) and (e), respectively, inserted subsec. (e) head- ing, and struck out former subsecs. (a) and (b) which re- lated to physical interference with search and notice of search, respectively. 1994—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $10,000’’. 1988—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–690 inserted ‘‘of 1978’’ after ‘‘Surveillance Act’’. 1986—Pub. L. 99–646 directed the designation of first and second pars. as subsecs. (a) and (b), respectively, which had been previously so designated by Pub. L. 99–508, and substituted ‘‘imprisoned not’’ for ‘‘impris- oned’’ in subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–508 designated first and second pars. as subsecs. (a) and (b), respectively, and inserted headings, and added subsec. (c). 1984—Pub. L. 98–473, § 1103(a), substituted provisions raising the maximum fine from $2,000 to $10,000 and raising the maximum term of imprisonment from two years to five years. Pub. L. 98–473, § 1103(b), inserted paragraph relating to the penalties for warning the subject of a search. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2000 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 106–185 applicable to any for- feiture proceeding commenced on or after the date that is 120 days after Apr. 25, 2000, see section 21 of Pub. L. 106–185, set out as a note under section 1324 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1986 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 99–508 effective 90 days after Oct. 21, 1986, and, in case of conduct pursuant to court order or extension, applicable only with respect to court orders and extensions made after such date, with special rule for State authorizations of interceptions, see section 111 of Pub. L. 99–508, set out as a note under section 2510 of this title. § 2233. Rescue of seized property Whoever forcibly rescues, dispossesses, or at- tempts to rescue or dispossess any property, ar- ticles, or objects after the same shall have been taken, detained, or seized by any officer or other person under the authority of any revenue law of the United States, or by any person author- ized to make searches and seizures, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 802; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 121, 128 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §§ 65, 71, 35 Stat. 1100, 1101). Section consolidates that portion of section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to rescue of seized property, with section 128 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. The remaining provisions of section 121 of present title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to assaulting, resist- ing, or interfering with customs officers, revenue offi- cers, or other persons, and to the destruction or re- moval of property to prevent seizure, constitute sec- tions 2231 and 2232 of this title, the former provisions being consolidated with certain provisions of other sec- tions. Said section 121 of present title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., provided for punishment by fine of not more than $2,000 or imprisonment of not more than 1 year, or both, of persons rescuing, attempting to rescue, or causing to be rescued, ‘‘any property’’ which has been seized by ‘‘any person’’ authorized to make searches and sei- zures. Said section 128 of present title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., provided for punishment by fine of not more than $300 and imprisonment for not more than 1 year of persons dispossessing, rescuing, or attempting to dispossess or rescue, or aiding or assisting in dispossessing or res- cuing, ‘‘any property taken or detained by any officer or other person under the authority of any revenue law of the United States.’’ This revised section adopts the maximum fine provi- sions of section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., and ex- tends the maximum term of imprisonment to 2 years. This was deemed advisable so that uniformity of pun- ishment would be established and the provisions would be sufficiently broad to impose punishment commensu- rate with the gravity of the offense. (See section 3601(c)(2) of title 26, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Internal Revenue Code.) Reference to persons causing, procuring, aiding or as- sisting was omitted as unnecessary in view of defini- tion of ‘‘principal’’ in section 2 of this title. Changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $2,000’’. § 2234. Authority exceeded in executing warrant Whoever, in executing a search warrant, will- fully exceeds his authority or exercises it with unnecessary severity, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.