18 U.S.C. § 2275 — Firing or tampering with vessels

Page 558 TITLE 18—CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE § 2275 1 See References in Text note below. Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Minor changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $10,000’’ in first par. § 2275. Firing or tampering with vessels Whoever sets fire to any vessel of foreign reg- istry, or any vessel of American registry enti- tled to engage in commerce with foreign na- tions, or to any vessel of the United States, or to the cargo of the same, or tampers with the motive power of instrumentalities of navigation of such vessel, or places bombs or explosives in or upon such vessel, or does any other act to or upon such vessel while within the jurisdiction of the United States, or, if such vessel is of Amer- ican registry, while she is on the high sea, with intent to injure or endanger the safety of the vessel or of her cargo, or of persons on board, whether the injury or danger is so intended to take place within the jurisdiction of the United States, or after the vessel shall have departed therefrom and whoever attempts to do so shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 804; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 502 (June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title III, § 1, 40 Stat. 221). Words ‘‘as defined in section 501 of this title,’’ were omitted in view of section 9 of this title, defining vessel of the United States. Last sentence of said section 502, defining ‘‘United States’’, was incorporated in section 5 of this title. Provision prohibiting conspiracy was deleted as ade- quately covered by the general conspiracy statute, sec- tion 371 of this title. Minor changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $10,000’’. § 2276. Breaking and entering vessel Whoever, upon the high seas or on any other waters within the admiralty and maritime juris- diction of the United States, and out of the ju- risdiction of any particular State, breaks or en- ters any vessel with intent to commit any fel- ony, or maliciously cuts, spoils, or destroys any cordage, cable, buoys, buoy rope, head fast, or other fast, fixed to the anchor or moorings be- longing to any vessel, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 804; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 490 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 299, 35 Stat. 1147). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $1,000’’. § 2277. Explosives or dangerous weapons aboard vessels (a) Whoever brings, carries, or possesses any dangerous weapon, instrument, or device, or any dynamite, nitroglycerin, or other explosive arti- cle or compound on board of any vessel docu- mented under the laws of the United States, or any vessel purchased, requisitioned, chartered, or taken over by the United States pursuant to the provisions of Act June 6, 1941, ch. 174, 55 Stat. 242, as amended, without previously ob- taining the permission of the owner or the mas- ter of such vessel; or Whoever brings, carries, or possesses any such weapon or explosive on board of any vessel in the possession and under the control of the United States or which has been seized and for- feited by the United States or upon which a guard has been placed by the United States pur- suant to the provisions of section 191 1 of Title 50, without previously obtaining the permission of the captain of the port in which such vessel is located, shall be fined under this title or impris- oned not more than one year, or both. (b) This section shall not apply to the per- sonnel of the Armed Forces of the United States or to officers or employees of the United States or of a State or of a political subdivision there- of, while acting in the performance of their du- ties, who are authorized by law or by rules or regulations to own or possess any such weapon or explosive. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 804; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 109–304, § 17(d)(6), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1707.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 503, 504 (Dec. 31, 1941, ch. 642, §§ 1, 2, 55 Stat. 876). Section consolidates sections 503 and 504 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Words ‘‘This section’’ were substituted in subsection (b) for the words ‘‘The provisions of sections 503, 504 of this title’’. Minor changes were made in phraseology. Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT Act June 6, 1941, ch. 174, 55 Stat. 242, referred to in subsec. (a), expired July 1, 1953. Section 191 of Title 50, referred to in subsec. (a), was redesignated and transferred to section 70051 of Title 46, Shipping, by Pub. L. 115–282, title IV, § 407(b)(1), (5), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4267. AMENDMENTS 2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–304 substituted ‘‘docu- mented’’ for ‘‘registered, enrolled, or licensed’’. 1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted ‘‘fined under this title’’ for ‘‘fined not more than $1,000’’ in second par.