CITE
18 USC Sec. 877 01/05/2009
EXPCITE
TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I - CRIMES
CHAPTER 41 - EXTORTION AND THREATS
HEAD
Sec. 877. Mailing threatening communications from foreign country
STATUTE
Whoever knowingly deposits in any post office or authorized
depository for mail matter of any foreign country any communication
addressed to any person within the United States, for the purpose
of having such communication delivered by the post office
establishment of such foreign country to the Postal Service and by
it delivered to such addressee in the United States, and as a
result thereof such communication is delivered by the post office
establishment of such foreign country to the Postal Service and by
it delivered to the address to which it is directed in the United
States, and containing any demand or request for ransom or reward
for the release of any kidnapped person, shall be fined under this
title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
Whoever, with intent to extort from any person any money or other
thing of value, so deposits as aforesaid, any communication for the
purpose aforesaid, containing any threat to kidnap any person or
any threat to injure the person of the addressee or of another,
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty
years, or both.
Whoever knowingly so deposits as aforesaid, any communication,
for the purpose aforesaid, containing any threat to kidnap any
person or any threat to injure the person of the addressee or of
another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more
than five years, or both.
Whoever, with intent to extort from any person any money or other
thing of value, knowingly so deposits as aforesaid, any
communication, for the purpose aforesaid, containing any threat to
injure the property or reputation of the addressee or of another,
or the reputation of a deceased person, or any threat to accuse the
addressee or any other person of a crime, shall be fined under this
title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
SOURCE
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 741; Pub. L. 91-375, Sec.
6(j)(8), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 777; Pub. L. 103-322, title
XXXIII, Secs. 330016(1)(G), (H), (K), 330021(2), Sept. 13, 1994,
108 Stat. 2147, 2150.)
HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 338b (July 8, 1932, ch.
464, Sec. 2, 47 Stat. 649; May 15, 1939, ch. 133, Sec. 1, 53 Stat.
742).
Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as
unnecessary in view of definition of "principal" in section 2 of
this title.
Provisions as to district of trial were omitted as covered by
sections 3237 and 3239 of this title.
AMENDMENTS
1994 - Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330021(2), substituted "kidnapped"
for "kidnaped" in first par.
Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(K), substituted "fined under this
title" for "fined not more than $5,000" in first and second pars.
Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(H), substituted "fined under this
title" for "fined not more than $1,000" in third par.
Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(G), substituted "fined under this
title" for "fined not more than $500" in fourth par.
1970 - Pub. L. 91-375 substituted "Postal Service" for "Post
Office Department of the United States" in two places in first par.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 91-375 effective within 1 year after Aug.
12, 1970, on date established therefor by Board of Governors of
United States Postal Service and published by it in Federal
Register, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set out as an
Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal
Service.