Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1958: Use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law prohibits using interstate commerce to facilitate murder-for-hire in exchange for payment. Penalties range from up to 10 years imprisonment, up to 20 years if injury results, or death or life imprisonment if death results.

Read the full statutory text
Whoever travels in or causes another (including the intended victim) to travel in interstate or foreign commerce, or uses or causes another (including the intended victim) to use the mail or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce, with intent that a murder be committed in violation of the laws of any State or the United States as consideration for the receipt of, or as consideration for a promise or agreement to pay, anything of pecuniary value, or who conspires to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than ten years, or both; and if personal injury results, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than twenty years, or both; and if death results, shall be punished by death or life imprisonment, or shall be fined not more than $250,000, or both. “anything of pecuniary value” means anything of value in the form of money, a negotiable instrument, a commercial interest, or anything else the primary significance of which is economic advantage; “facility of interstate or foreign commerce” includes means of transportation and communication; and “State” includes a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

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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.