18 U.S.C. § 509 – Possession or Creation of Plates for Government Transportation Requests
This law makes it a federal crime to possess, make, use, or import plates, stones, or impressions used to produce government transportation request forms without lawful authority.
This statute targets fraud involving the means of producing official government transportation request forms used to obtain transportation services on account of the United States.
It applies to unauthorized possession, creation, use, reproduction, or importation of plates, stones, engravings, photographs, or other items capable of producing genuine or imitation transportation request forms.
What the law prohibits.
A person violates this statute if they knowingly and without lawful authority:
- Control, hold, or possess any plate, stone, or other thing, or any part thereof, from which a government transportation request form has been or may be printed
- Use any such plate, stone, or other thing, or knowingly permit or suffer it to be used in making any government transportation request form or any part thereof
- Make or engrave any plate, stone, or thing in the likeness of a plate, stone, or thing designated for printing genuine government transportation request forms
- Print, photograph, make, execute, or sell any engraving, photograph, print, or impression in the likeness of any genuine government transportation request form or any part thereof
- Bring into the United States or any place subject to its jurisdiction any plate, stone, engraving, photograph, print, or other impression of a government transportation request form
Penalties.
A person convicted under this statute shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
If you’re under investigation or facing charges involving forged government transportation request materials, call (314) 900-HELP or contact our criminal defense attorneys for guidance.
