Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1361: Government property or contracts

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law punishes willful injury to U.S. government property. Damage exceeding $1,000 carries up to 10 years imprisonment; damage of $1,000 or less carries up to 1 year imprisonment.

Read the full statutory text
Whoever willfully injures or commits any depredation against any property of the United States, or of any department or agency thereof, or any property which has been or is being manufactured or constructed for the United States, or any department or agency thereof, or attempts to commit any of the foregoing offenses, shall be punished as follows: If the damage or attempted damage to such property exceeds the sum of $1,000, by a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both; if the damage or attempted damage to such property does not exceed the sum of $1,000, by a fine under this title or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.