Unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material

18 U.S.C. § 1924

• Title: 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
• Chapter: 93 — PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

Text

(a) Whoever, being an officer, employee, contractor, or consultant of the United States, and, by virtue of his office, employment, position, or contract, becomes possessed of documents or materials containing classified information of the United States, knowingly removes such documents or materials without authority and with the intent to retain such documents or materials at an unauthorized location shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both.
(b) For purposes of this section, the provision of documents and materials to the Congress shall not constitute an offense under subsection (a).
(c) In this section, the term "classified information of the United States" means information originated, owned, or possessed by the United States Government concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States that has been determined pursuant to law or Executive order to require protection against unauthorized disclosure in the interests of national security.

History

(Added Pub. L. 103–359, title VIII, §808(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3453; amended Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, §4002(d)(1)(C)(i), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1809; Pub. L. 115–118, title II, §202, Jan. 19, 2018, 132 Stat. 19.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments
2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–118 substituted "five years" for "one year".
2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–273 substituted "under this title" for "not more than $1,000,".

Editorial Notes

Amendments
2001—Pub. L. 107–56, title III, §373(c), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 340, substituted "unlicensed" for "illegal" in item 1960.
1992—Pub. L. 102–550, title XV, §1512(b), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 4058, added item 1960.
1988—Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7053(c), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4402, redesignated items 1952A and 1952B as 1958 and 1959, respectively, and transferred them to the end of the table of sections.
1986—Pub. L. 99–570, title I, §1352(b), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–21, added items 1956 and 1957.
1984—Pub. L. 98–473, title II, §1002(b), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2137, added items 1952A and 1952B.
1970—Pub. L. 91–452, title VIII, §803(b), Oct. 15, 1970, 84 Stat. 938, added item 1955.
1962—Pub. L. 87–420, §17(f), Mar. 20, 1962, 76 Stat. 43, added item 1954.
1961—Pub. L. 87–228, §1(b), Sept. 13, 1961, 75 Stat. 499, added item 1952.
Pub. L. 87–218, §1, Sept. 13, 1961, 75 Stat. 492, added item 1953.