Theft, Embezzlement, Receipt of Stolen Property, Property Destruction, and Offenses Involving Fraud or Deceit - Basic Economic Offenses
November 1, 2005 | GUIDELINES MANUAL | §2B1.5 |
Subsections (b)(10)(A)(i) and (B)(i) implement the instruction to the Commission in section 4 of the Wireless Telephone Protection Act, Public Law 105–172.
Subsection (b)(10)(C) implements the directive to the Commission in section 4 of the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998, Public Law 105–318. This subsection focuses principally on an aggravated form of identity theft known as "affirmative identity theft" or "breeding", in which a defendant uses another individual’s name, social security number, or some other form of identification (the "means of identification") to "breed" (i.e., produce or obtain) new or additional forms of identification. Because 18 U.S.C. § 1028(d) broadly defines "means of identification", the new or additional forms of identification can include items such as a driver’s license, a credit card, or a bank loan. This subsection provides a minimum offense level of level 12, in part because of the seriousness of the offense. The minimum offense level accounts for the fact that the means of identification that were "bred" (i.e., produced or obtained) often are within the defendant’s exclusive control, making it difficult for the individual victim to detect that the victim’s identity has been "stolen." Generally, the victim does not become aware of the offense until certain harms have already occurred (e.g., a damaged credit rating or an inability to obtain a loan). The minimum offense level also accounts for the non-monetary harm associated with these types of offenses, much of which may be difficult or impossible to quantify (e.g., harm to the individual’s reputation or credit rating, inconvenience, and other difficulties resulting from the offense). The legislative history of the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 indicates that Congress was especially concerned with providing increased punishment for this type of harm.
Subsection (b)(12)(B) implements, in a broader form, the instruction to the Commission in section 110512 of Public Law 103–322.
Subsection (b)(13)(A) implements, in a broader form, the instruction to the Commission in section 2507 of Public Law 101–647.
Subsection (b)(13)(B)(i) implements, in a broader form, the instruction to the Commission in section 961(m) of Public Law 101–73.
Subsection (b)(14) implements the directive in section 225(b) of Public Law 107–296. The minimum offense level of level 24 provided in subsection (b)(14)(B) for an offense that resulted in a substantial disruption of a critical infrastructure reflects the serious impact such an offense could have on national security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or a combination of any of these matters.
Historical Note:: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective June 15, 1988 (see Appendix C, amendment 7); November 1, 1989 (see Appendix C, amendments 99-101 and 303); November 1, 1990 (see Appendix C, amendments 312, 317, and 361); November 1, 1991 (see Appendix C, amendments 364 and 393); November 1, 1993 (see Appendix C, amendments 481 and 482); November 1, 1995 (see Appendix C, amendment 512); November 1, 1997 (see Appendix C, amendment 551); November 1, 1998 (see Appendix C, amendment 576); November 1, 2000 (see Appendix C, amendment 596); November 1, 2001 (see Appendix C, amendment 617); November 1, 2002 (see Appendix C, amendments 637, 638, and 646); January 25, 2003 (see Appendix C, amendment 647); November 1, 2003 (see Appendix C, amendments 653, 654, 655, and 661); November 1, 2004 (see Appendix C, amendments 665, 666, and 674); November 1, 2005 (see Appendix C, amendment 679).
§2B1.2. [Deleted]
Historical Note:: Section 2B1.2 (Receiving, Transporting, Transferring, Transmitting, or Possessing Stolen Property), effective November 1, 1987, amended effective January 15, 1988 (see Appendix C, amendment 8), June 15, 1988 (see Appendix C, amendment 9), November 1, 1989 (see Appendix C, amendments 102-104), and November 1, 1990 (see Appendix C, amendments 312 and 361), was deleted by consolidation with §2B1.1 effective November 1, 1993 (see Appendix C, amendment 481).
– 93 –