18 U.S.C. § 661
Section 661 · Within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction
Amended 3 times on record
Applied in 141 court decisions — leading case United States v. Sharpnack (1958)
Most recently applied in United States v. John R. Moore, Jr. (September 2024)
Cases citing this section usually also cite 18 U.S.C. § 13 · 18 U.S.C. § 1153 · 28 U.S.C. § 1291
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
Whoever, within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, takes and carries away, with intent to steal or purloin, any personal property of another shall be punished as follows:
If the property taken is of a value exceeding $1,000, or is taken from the person of another, by a fine under this title, or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both; in all other cases, by a fine under this title or by imprisonment not more than one year, or both.
If the property stolen consists of any evidence of debt, or other written instrument, the amount of money due thereon, or secured to be paid thereby and remaining unsatisfied, or which in any contingency might be collected thereon, or the value of the property the title to which is shown thereby, or the sum which might be recovered in the absence thereof, shall be the value of the property stolen.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §466 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §287, 35 Stat. 1144).
Words “within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States” were inserted to conform with section 7 of this title. (See reviser's note under that section.)
The maximum fine and imprisonment provisions were modified and “five years” and “$5,000” substituted for “ten years” and “$10,000” and the sum of $100 was substituted for $50 as more in accord with other sections of this chapter. (See section 641 of this title.)
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Amendments
1996—Pub. L. 104–294, in second par., substituted “$1,000” for “$100” and substituted “fine under this title” for “fine of under this title” in two places.
1994—Pub. L. 103–322, in second par., substituted “under this title” for “not more than $5,000” after “another, by a fine of” and for “not more than $1,000” after “cases, by a fine of”.
Cross References
Actions aboard aircraft in special aircraft jurisdiction of United States in violation of this section punishable as provided herein, see section 46506 of Title 49, Transportation.
Laws of States adopted for areas within Federal jurisdiction, see section 13 of this title.
Provisions relating to larceny committed within Indian country, see sections 1151, 1153, 3242 of this title.
Special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States defined, see section 7 of this title.