18 U.S.C. § 506 – Seals of Departments or Agencies (Forgery of Seal)
This law makes it a federal crime to forge, counterfeit, use, possess, or traffic in forged seals of United States departments or agencies, with enhanced penalties in certain immigration-related cases.
This statute targets fraud involving official seals of departments or agencies of the United States, including any facsimile of such seals.
It applies to the creation, use, possession, distribution, or transportation of forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered federal agency seals, as well as conduct intended to facilitate fraudulent access to federal benefits.
What the law prohibits.
A person violates this statute if they knowingly:
- Falsely make, forge, counterfeit, mutilate, or alter the seal of any department or agency of the United States, or any facsimile thereof
- Use, affix, or impress any such fraudulently made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal or facsimile upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper of any description
- With fraudulent intent, possess, sell, offer for sale, furnish, offer to furnish, give away, offer to give away, transport, offer to transport, import, or offer to import any such seal or facsimile knowing it to have been falsely made, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered
Penalties.
A person convicted under subsection (a) of this statute shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
If the forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered seal or facsimile is made, used, possessed, or trafficked with the intent or effect of facilitating an alien’s application for, or receipt of, a Federal benefit to which the alien is not entitled, the penalties for each offense shall be two times the maximum fine and three times the maximum term of imprisonment that would otherwise apply under subsection (a), or both.
If you’re being investigated or charged under a federal seal forgery statute, call (314) 900-HELP or contact our criminal defense lawyers to discuss your situation.
