§ 2071. — Concealment, removal, or mutilation generally.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC2071]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 101--RECORDS AND REPORTS
Sec. 2071. Concealment, removal, or mutilation generally
(a) Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates,
obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so
takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper,
document, or other thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer
of any court of the United States, or in any public office, or with any
judicial or public officer of the United States, shall be fined under
this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
(b) Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map,
book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully
conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the
same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three
years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from
holding any office under the United States. As used in this subsection,
the term ``office'' does not include the office held by any person as a
retired officer of the Armed Forces of the United States.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 101-510, div. A, title V,
Sec. 552(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1566; Pub. L. 103-322, title
XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Secs. 234, 235 (Mar. 4, 1909,
ch. 321, Secs. 128, 129, 35 Stat. 1111, 1112).
Section consolidates sections 234 and 235 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940
ed.
Reference in subsection (a) to intent to steal was omitted as
covered by section 641 of this title.
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Amendments
1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this title'' for
``fined not more than $2,000'' in subsecs. (a) and (b).
1990--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101-510 inserted at end ``As used in this
subsection, the term `office' does not include the office held by any
person as a retired officer of the Armed Forces of the United States.''
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Section 552(b) of Pub. L. 101-510 provided that: ``The amendment
made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall be effective as of
January 1, 1989.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in title 22 section 3622.
