Appendix B - Selected Sentencing Statutes

"(c) Responsibilities of United States Sentencing Commission.—In carrying out this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall—

"(1) take all appropriate measures to ensure that the Federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements described in subsection (a) are sufficiently stringent to deter, and adequately reflect the nature of, intellectual property rights crimes;

"(2) determine whether to provide a sentencing enhancement for those convicted of the offenses described in subsection (a), if the conduct involves the display, performance, publication, reproduction, or distribution of a copyrighted work before it has been authorized by the copyright owner, whether in the media format used by the infringing party or in any other media format;

"(3) determine whether the scope of "uploading" set forth in application note 3 of section 2B5.3 of the Federal sentencing guidelines is adequate to address the loss attributable to people who, without authorization, broadly distribute copyrighted works over the Internet; and

"(4) determine whether the sentencing guidelines and policy statements applicable to the offenses described in subsection (a) adequately reflect any harm to victims from copyright infringement if law enforcement authorities cannot determine how many times copyrighted material has been reproduced or distributed.".

Amendment of Sentencing Guidelines Regarding Felony Offenses Committed Online. Pub. L. 108–482, Title II, § 204(b), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3917, provided that: "(b) United States Sentencing Commission.—

"(1) Directive.—Pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall review and amend the sentencing guidelines and policy statements to ensure that the applicable guideline range for a defendant convicted of any felony offense carried out online that may be facilitated through the use of a domain name registered with materially false contact information is sufficiently stringent to deter commission of such acts.

"(2) Requirements.—In carrying out this subsection, the Sentencing Commission shall provide sentencing enhancements for anyone convicted of any felony offense furthered through knowingly providing or knowingly causing to be provided materially false contact information to a domain name registrar, domain name registry, or other domain name registration authority in registering, maintaining, or renewing a domain name used in connection with the violation.

"(3) Definition.—For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘domain name’ has the meaning given that term in section 45 of the Act entitled ‘An Act to provide for the registration and protection of trademarks used in commerce, to carry out the provisions of certain international conventions, and for other purposes’, approved July 5, 1946 (commonly referred to as the ‘Trademark Act of 1946'; 15 U.S.C. 1127).".

Offenses Involving International or Domestic Terrorism. Pub. L. 108–458, Title VI, § 6703(b), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3766, provided that: "(b) Sentencing Guidelines.—Not later than 30 days of the enactment of this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall amend the Sentencing Guidelines to provide for an increased offense level for an offense under sections 1001(a) and 1505 of title 18, United States Code, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism, as defined in section 2331 of such title.".

Offenses Involving Anabolic Steroids. Pub. L. 108–358, § 3, Oct. 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 1664, provided that: "The United States Sentencing Commission shall—

"(1) review the Federal sentencing guidelines with respect to offenses involving anabolic steroids;

"(2) consider amending the Federal sentencing guidelines to provide for increased penalties with respect to offenses involving anabolic steroids in a manner that reflects the seriousness of such offenses and the need

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Last reviewed October 2024