2018 Guidelines Manual - ussc.gov

1 UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSIONGUIDELINES Manual 2018 WILLIAM H. PRYOR JR. Acting Chair RACHEL E. BARKOW Commissioner CHARLES R. BREYER Commissioner DANNY C. REEVES Commissioner DAVID RYBICKI Commissioner, Ex-officio PATRICIA K. CUSHWA Commissioner, Ex-officio This document contains the text of the Guidelines Manual incorporating amendments effective November 1, 2018, and earlier. CITATION FORM ii Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2018) RECOMMENDED CITATION FORM United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines , Policy Statements, and Commentary may be cited as follows: citation formUnited States Sentencing Commission, Guidelines Manual , (Nov.)

2 2018) citation form[using USSG as the designated short form for United States Sentencing Guidelines ] a guideline USSG a policy statement USSG , commentary designated as an application note USSG , comment. ( ) commentary designated as background USSG , comment. (backg d.) commentary designated as an introduction USSG , , intro. comment. commentary designated as a conclusion USSG , , concl. comment. an appendix to the Guidelines Manual USSG App. C TABLE OF CONTENTS Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2018) iiiTABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION, AUTHORITY, AND GENERAL APPLICATION PRINCIPLES .. 1 Part A Introduction and Authority.

3 1 Introduction to the Guidelines Manual ..1 Evolution and Role of the Guidelines .. 13 .. 16 Part B General Application Principles .. 17 CHAPTER TWO OFFENSE CONDUCT .. 50 Part A Offenses Against the Person .. 50 .. 50 .. 53 Sexual Abuse and Offenses Related to Registrationas a Sex Offender .. 59 , Abduction, or Unlawful Restraint .. 72 Piracy and Offenses Against Mass Transportation Systems .. 75 or Harassing Communications, Hoaxes, Stalking,and Domestic Violence .. 77 Part B Basic Economic Offenses .. 82 , Embezzlement, Receipt of Stolen Property, PropertyDestruction, and Offenses Involving Fraud or Deceit .. 82 and Trespass.

4 111 , Extortion, and Blackmail .. 115 Bribery and Kickbacks .. 121 and Infringement of Copyright or Trademark .. 124 Vehicle Identification Numbers .. 130 Part C Offenses Involving Public Officials and Violations of Federal Election Campaign Laws .. 131 Part D Offenses Involving Drugs and Narco-Terrorism .. 142 Manufacturing, Importing, Exporting, Trafficking, orPossession; Continuing Criminal Enterprise .. 142 Possession .. 189 Violations .. 191 Part E Offenses Involving Criminal Enterprises and Racketeering .. 193 .. 193 Extension of Credit .. 196 3. Gambling .. 197 in Contraband Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco.

5 199 Racketeering .. 199 TABLE OF CONTENTS iv Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2018) Part F [Deleted] .. 203 Part G Offenses Involving Commercial Sex Acts, Sexual Exploitation of Minors, and Obscenity .. 204 a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct .. 204 Exploitation of a Minor .. 211 .. 221 Part H Offenses Involving Individual Rights .. 225 Rights .. 225 Rights .. 227 and Eavesdropping .. 228 , Involuntary Servitude, Slave Trade, and Child Soldiers .. 231 Part I [Not Used] .. 233 Part J Offenses Involving the Administration Of Justice .. 234 Part K Offenses Involving Public Safety .. 243 and Arson.

6 243 .. 250 Injurious Articles .. 263 Part L Offenses Involving Immigration, Naturalization, and Passports .. 265 .. 265 and Passports .. 273 Part M Offenses Involving National Defense and Weapons of Mass Destruction .. 278 .. 278 2. Sabotage .. 278 and Related Offenses .. 279 of Military Service .. 284 Financial Transactions and Exports, and ProvidingMaterial Support to Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations .. 285 , Biological, and Chemical Weapons and Materials, andOther Weapons of Mass Destruction .. 288 Part N Offenses Involving Food, Drugs, Agricultural Products, Consumer Products, and Odometer Laws.

7 292 with Consumer Products .. 292 , Drugs, Agricultural Products, and Consumer Products .. 294 Laws and 295 Part O [Not Used] .. 296 Part P Offenses Involving Prisons and Correctional Facilities .. 297 Part Q Offenses Involving the Environment .. 301 and Wildlife .. 308 Part R Antitrust Offenses .. 311 Part S Money Laundering and Monetary Transaction Reporting .. 315 TABLE OF CONTENTS Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2018) vPart T Offenses Involving Taxation .. 321 Taxes, Employment Taxes, Estate Taxes, Gift Taxes,and Excise Taxes (Other Than Alcohol, Tobacco, and CustomsTaxes) .. 321 and Tobacco Taxes .. 330 Taxes.

8 331 Table .. 333 Part U [Not Used] .. 334 Part V [Not Used] .. 334 Part W [Not Used] .. 334 Part X Other Offenses .. 335 , Attempts, Solicitations .. 335 and Abetting .. 338 After the Fact .. 338 of Felony .. 339 Other Felony Offenses and Class A Misdemeanors .. 340 Involving Use of a Minor in a Crime of Violence .. 342 Involving Border Tunnels and Submersible andSemi-Submersible Vessels .. 343 Part Y [Not Used] .. 344 Part Z [Not Used] .. 344 CHAPTER THREE ADJUSTMENTS .. 345 Part A Victim-Related Adjustments .. 345 Part B Role in the Offense .. 351 Part C Obstruction and Related Adjustments .. 359 Part D Multiple Counts.

9 364 Part E Acceptance of Responsibility .. 376 CHAPTER FOUR CRIMINAL HISTORY AND CRIMINAL LIVELIHOOD .. 379 Part A Criminal History ..379 Part B Career Offenders and Criminal Livelihood ..395 CHAPTER FIVE DETERMINING THE SENTENCE .. 406 Part A Sentencing Table .. 406 Part B Probation .. 409 Part C Imprisonment .. 418 TABLE OF CONTENTS vi Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2018) Part D Supervised Release .. 424 Part E Restitution, Fines, Assessments, Forfeitures .. 435 Part F Sentencing Options .. 443 Part G Implementing the Total Sentence of Imprisonment .. 449 Part H Specific Offender Characteristics .. 458 Part I [Not Used].

10 465 Part J Relief From Disability .. 466 Part K Departures .. 467 Assistance to Authorities .. 467 Grounds for Departure .. 468 Disposition Programs .. 486 CHAPTER SIX SENTENCING PROCEDURES, PLEA AGREEMENTS, AND CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS .. 487 Part A Sentencing Procedures .. 487 Part B Plea Agreements .. 491 CHAPTER SEVEN VIOLATIONS OF PROBATION AND SUPERVISED RELEASE .. 496 Part A Introduction to Chapter Seven .. 496 Part B Probation and Supervised Release Violations .. 501 CHAPTER EIGHT SENTENCING OF ORGANIZATIONS .. 509 Part A General Application Principles .. 510 Part B Remedying Harm from Criminal Conduct, and Effective Compliance and Ethics Program.