§1854 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

Cutting, chipping, chopping, or boxing trees on land owned by the United States, or on land claimed under U.S. settlement laws that isn’t finalized, to get pitch, turpentine, or similar substances is illegal. Buying or otherwise getting those substances or things made from them, when you know they were taken unlawfully, is also illegal. A person who does this can be fined under federal law, jailed for up to one year, or both.

Title 18, §1854

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever cuts, chips, chops, or boxes any tree upon any lands belonging to the United States, or upon any lands covered by or embraced in any unperfected settlement, application, filing, entry, selection, or location, made under any law of the United States, for the purpose of obtaining from such tree any pitch, turpentine, or other substance; or Whoever buys, trades for, or in any manner acquires any pitch, turpentine, or other substance, or any article or commodity made from any such pitch, turpentine, or other substance, with knowledge that the same has been so unlawfully obtained— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 105 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 51, 35 Stat. 1098). Reference to persons aiding, encouraging, or causing was deleted as unnecessary since such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title. Maximum fine was increased from $500 to $1,000 to conform to other comparable sections of this chapter. (See section 1851 and 1852 of this title.) Minor changes also were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in last par.

§1854 Trees boxed for pitch or turpentine