42 U.S.C. § 2276
Section 2276 · Tampering with Restricted Data
Amended 4 times on record
Applied in 2 court decisions — leading case United States v. Denson (1979)
Most recently applied in 79 F. Supp. 2d 1280 - United States v. Lee (December 1999)
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, with intent to injure the United States or with intent to secure an advantage to any foreign nation, removes, conceals, tampers with, alters, mutilates, or destroys any document, writing, sketch, photograph, plan, model, instrument, appliance, or note involving or incorporating Restricted Data and used by any individual or person in connection with the production of special nuclear material, or research or development relating to atomic energy, conducted by the United States, or financed in whole or in part by Federal funds, or conducted with the aid of special nuclear material, shall be punished by imprisonment for life, or by imprisonment for any term of years or a fine of not more than $20,000 or both.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Amendments
1969—Pub. L. 91–161 made death penalty inapplicable for willful violation, or attempted violation of this section with intent to injure the United States, or secure an advantage for any foreign nation.
Effective Date of 1969 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 91–161 applicable to offenses committed on or after Dec. 24, 1969, see section 7 of Pub. L. 91–161, set out as a note under section 2272 of this title.
Transfer of Functions
Atomic Energy Commission abolished and functions transferred by sections 5814 and 5841 of this title. See also Transfer of Functions notes set out under those sections.
Cross References
Conspiracy to commit offense, see section 371 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
Federal retirement benefits, forfeiture upon conviction of offense described hereunder, see section 8312 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Forfeiture of veterans’ benefits upon conviction under this section, see section 6105 of Title 38, Veterans’ Benefits.
Wire or oral communications, authorization for interception, to provide evidence of offenses punishable by death or by imprisonment for more than one year under sections 2274 to 2277 of this title, see section 2516 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.